Fire Emblem: Tremors of Dracolius (Part II)
by Kenrai
Summary: Three years after the events of Naerith's 'Burning War' era, Selthris Vikeruce picks up the pieces of his bittersweet victory over his father's killer and the country that once terrorised his nation. Though he has successfully stepped up as king of his nation, Selthris and his ever loyal unit are called into battle once more, this time against their most intimidating enemy yet.
1. Prologue: Glower of the Half-Moon

**Prologue: Glower of the Half-Moon**

 _ **Introduction Arc**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

Sevrenna sighed for what felt like the thousandth time as she dredged her feet along the open field of Aselia. The little youth carried as big a bundle of sticks as she could physically keep together without fear of dropping; having been sent by her arguing mother and father to grab firewood for the house, she _was_ thankful for being out of their miserable way...

And yet she felt sad for her older brother, always being caught in the middle of their squabbles.

As she neared the end of the field itself, her eyes were inevitably drawn down to an unusually beautiful flower lying just next to her. With a single blink of her eyes she looked back down at the twigs and sticks she carried before swiftly placing them down and picking the flower up. As she twirled it around her fingers, she couldn't help but smile down at it, imagining her brother's reaction to the flower.

It would barely be a way to thank him for all of his patience with her... but it would be a start.

Quickly pocketing the flower she bent back down to pick up the twigs and sticks, her long black hair drooping down with her sudden movement as she did so. Picking up her pace she couldn't help but intensify the smile growing on her face as she thought of her elder sibling. However, as she passed the manned gates her smile was dashed by the sudden glare of the half-moon above. Sevrenna's eyes involuntarily winced as she realised just how late it was; she immediately began to pick up her pace, concern gnawing at her young mind.

As she passed through the relatively quiet streets of Aselia Castle Town she turned into an alley-way; her normal route home. Passing through as quickly as she could, she soon found a definitive lack of people and her light concern soon began to gradually boil into tense uneasiness. She furrowed her brow as she turned one final time into the inside street her house lay in. Her eyes widened as she dropped the twigs and sticks she carried, falling to the cobbled ground in a noisy mess, regarding the shocking sight before her.

Her house right at the end of the street before her, up in a show of flames and smoke.

"No!" She couldn't help but blurt out before she broke into a run; she tripped over her basic purple dress as she made the final approach, falling to her face. After her chin hit the cobbled street pavement below her she could only turn her gaze skyward at the rising smoke and flames and the one strange sight beheld to her.

A shadowy figure stood with perfect posture, leaning down on the burning mess of stone and straw. She could barely hear the shadow laugh above the din of her beloved home's fate. As if suddenly keen to her clumsy presence, the unidentified figure suddenly snapped its head around to face her. Seemingly a man, judged by its deep voice, his eyes glared down at her through narrow slitted eyes. As if to add further intimidation to his leering appearance, the half-moon that was hanging so proudly in the sky seemed almost to glower down on her as hatefully as he did.

Time seemed to slow to a complete halt for Sevrenna as she mixed her terrified gaze with the eyeing and glaring figure before, finally, he seemed to react. Giving her no answers and very little acknowledgement whatsoever, the unnamed and unidentified shadowy figure suddenly disappeared from her untrained eye, leaving behind a mere after-image in his wake. Sevrenna's eyes were slowly drawn back down to the burning home she once grew up in. As she watched the flames spark and crackle before her, realisation finally dawned on her.

Her once arguing parents were now gone.

As were her only other living relative; her older brother.

Tears finally began to sting at her eyes; she could do little else but stare at the source of her sorrow, knelt down in the poorest part of Aselia Castle Town.


	2. Invasion

**Chapter 1: Invasion! Fight off the Sohanthian Menace!**

 _ **Sohanthian Subjugation Arc**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Glorious Grandbell" - Fire Emblem IV: Genealogy of the Holy War OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"Yellow Storm" - Dynasty Warriors 2 OST.** Scene **3** (Second Half)._

 _**"Let End Vicious Impediment" - Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom OST.** Scene **3** (Second Half)._

 _**"Battle 1 ~ Final Fantasy 9" - Dissidia: Final Fantasy OST.** Scene **4** (Second Half)._

* * *

 _The continent Dracolius; year 709. The land has seen much conflict and strife throughout its time in its seven hundred years existence. The well-known empire in the south-east, Sohantha, overtakes Dracolius with its long-reaching arms, casting a wide glare on the rest of its neighbours. Typically a nation of politics and ideals, the military and nobles of Sohantha take comfort in their overwhelming advantage of numbers and territory over the rest of the continent._

 _The ebony and crimson armoured soldiers of Naerith lie to the north-west; former members of the empire in the very early years of Dracolius' lifetime. In recent years Naerith now recover their fallen forces from their attempted subjugation of their long-hated enemy Aselia, having been put down three years ago in the Burning War. Rumours begin to spread like wild-fire around the country of a surviving daughter of the missing king Alpheus, bolstering their fragile spirit and morale._

 _Lying fairly comfortably in the north-east is the kingdom of Aselia, the afore-mentioned winner of the Burning War three years past. Their former leader, said to be the world's greatest soldier, Sathryon Vikeruce had passed on during this conflict. Their ruler now is his only surviving son, Selthris Vikeruce. Since emerging victorious in their attempt to win back Aselia, they have remained fairly quiet, opting to spend their days in rebuilding._

 _Sitting in the south-western quadrant of Dracolius is the nomadic country of Coremond and the wild men and women that reside there. Keeping themselves in isolation from most of the rest of the world they have little to nothing to do with the politics of other civilisations. In spite of this however, their own leader; the elder Salnarra had already assisted Aselia in its earlier resistance with Naerith. In keeping to their typically neutral ways however they opt to return to their own devices during this peaceful time._

 _And finally, nestled in the deep mountains of the north-east is the frozen fiefdom of Etherthien. Situated just over Naerith's chilly hills and mountains, king Alaric himself has ruled over his country for at least twenty years. Wise and experienced his assistance from his close companion's son, Selthris, has helped in closing the biggest trial they have faced since; the Etherthien Civil War. Thankfully, for his country and his people, the snowy nation was spared any atrocity from within; indeed, while the area is generally safe from any invaders thanks to its natured defences, it is just as liable as any other nation from implosion. Etherthien now enjoys a similar relative harmony as its ally Aselia._

 _However, it is this very short-lived and fragile peace that is about to be threatened by the very oldest nation on the continent..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

"Ack!" Leo called out suddenly in a veritable wince of concern, bringing his armoured arms upward in a defensive yet silly gesture. Sabine couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head up at the younger man before bending down to pick up the object of his apprehension.

"I'll never understand you Leo," the Archer said in his dismissive chuckle as he examined the flailing spider in his fingers. "You're by far the strongest one out of all of us but you still let yourself be scared by dumb stuff like this." He claimed in a new grin as he turned his head 'round to stare back at the wincing Mercenary in question. Leo issued him an immediate glare of annoyance as he recognised his tone before responding appropriately.

"Just... get it away!" Leo dismissed as he waved his hand at the older youth, clearly annoyed. Sabine couldn't help but uttering another chuckle as he shook his head, walking off to dispose of the unwanted creature. Merely tossing it out the window intact, he smiled in its direction. "Those damn things creep me out man." The Mercenary further admitted as he shuddered lightly before re-grabbing the broom he was using earlier. Joining the frowning Edgar next to him, the village-bound Axe Fighter raised his head up before leaning his body to the side; he rested his right elbow on the broom he similarly carried, his other arm resting comfortably on his waist.

"Man's got a point," Edgar admitted alongside his Archer companion, nodding in his afore-mentioned direction. Sabine let out a satisfied smirk as he listened further, eliciting an annoyed roll of Leo's eyes in response. "I've never seen a guy _that_ scared by those little things."

" _Some_ of them are poisonous y'know," Leo shot back in an annoyed tone as he swept the ground dutifully though not without a seemingly amused grin of his own. "I wouldn't wanna be caught in the middle of one of _those_."

Sabine snorted from the Mercenary's side as he listened, finally offering his two cents. "Yeah, in _Coremond_ ,maybe; they get huge over there. They're just little babies in Aselia."

"Weren't _you_ the one whining about big spiders and insects when we were over there three years ago?" Edgar offered in himself, this time with a curious raise of his straw-brown eyebrow. Sabine turned his annoyed frown back on his Axe Fighter comrade, evoking a listening laugh from the low-grinning Leo. The Mercenary in question couldn't help but reach over and issue his close companion a high five, wringing a rare smile from the Axe Fighter. Sabine merely rolled his eyes as he turned his head away from the pair, his grin still on his face as he dove his eyes into his work.

"Oh yeah like _I_ was ever scared of _insects,_ " the Archer joked, a corner of his mouth upturning in an amused grin. Leo let out a dismissive chuckle as he shook his head, similarly returning to his sweeping. Edgar joined him in his low smile, allowing a comfortable silence to descend upon the close trio. "So when's the boss gettin' back? Place has been kinda quiet without 'im." He asked over his shoulder this time, his smile dropping but only lightly.

"Didn't they leave a few days ago to quell that bandit uprising?" Edgar answered, this time in his ever objective frown. He turned his head back down to his work, frowning as always. "I imagine he'll be back any day now."

"Yeah what Ed said," Leo smiled over his own shoulder before turning back similarly. "Sel never really liked being out on his own for too long; they'll all be back pretty soon," he continued on before re-raising a curious eyebrow upward at the older youth. "Why so curious in big boss man anyhow?"

"I'm _not,_ " the Archer shot back in his own grin before regaining his light sociable smile. "I still haven't been paid yet from Kay."

"Pft!" Leo couldn't help but exhale out in a mixture of surprise and hilarity, eliciting a listening sigh from the disapproving Edgar.

"That girl'll be the death of herself one day." The Axe Fighter managed out in his disapproving frown, his broom gripped with both arms.

"I know, right?" Leo laughed in jolly yet contrasting agreement. "You'd think she'd _stop_ playing when she's on the worst losing streak anyone's _ever_ seen." He stated out in his head-shaking laugh. Sabine and Edgar shared a similarly smiling grin before they all returned to their chore. The comfortable silence that they all shared however was swiftly broken, even if by one of their own.

A similarly concerned expression floated around his countenance as he stood just next to the staircase and doorway; the Armour Knight, Gerard.

"Gerard?" Leo called out as he caught sight of the older warrior, encased in his battle-wear sky-blue armour. "What's-?"

The expression on his face counted disaster for the small growing group of four; a clearly worried furrowed brow was laid on his short-bearded face. He shook his long-haired head back at the Mercenary in dissenting, almost as if reading his mind.

"We _can't_ be; we're being attacked?" Sabine called out suddenly, his own brow furrowing in conjunction with his narrowing eyes, leaning forward when he did so. This time the silent Armour Knight nodded in silent agreement, a grave frown adorned to his expression. Sabine exchanged a similarly concerned frown with the listening Edgar and Leo before they all dropped their brooms and ran forward for their ally.

* * *

"How many?" Leo exclaimed out above the din of the soldiers' hustle and bustle; they ran through as quickly and as effortlessly as they could, urgency nipping at their heels.

"Can't be sure!" Gerard finally spoke up as they made the final approach to the battlements, casting their eyes outward to Aselia Field. As Leo managed to get a full look at the intimidating sight before him a shudder ran up his spine that he had not remembered since the Burning War.

As far as his eye could see were firm, dark yellow, stretching across the fields, a single flag held up in the centre. A fire-breathing amber shaded dragon was depicted across its cloth; clearly the national symbol of the oldest nation on the continent.

"Sohantha?!" Sabine suddenly exclaimed, eyes widening next to his comrades. "W-Why are _they-?_ "

"We're still not sure," Gerard interrupted softly and with a similarly gentle shake of his head, his own eyes glaring at the untold amount of soldiers slowly marching for them. "As far as I know we've done nothing to provoke them, but..."

"Victory in battle..."

The group of three men turned on their heels to find the hard-frowning Edgar joining them, ever in his slow fashion. His hard glower was focused on the far-off approaching Sohanthian soldiers.

"Is not won through superior numbers," he finally answered his own question before turning on the surprised-expressed group of young men. He twirled the iron axe he now carried so well, pointing it at the approaching soldiers, glaring as he did so. "Battle of Highwood and Fort Chiribald, boys," he claimed, this time with a growing but very low grin on his face, pulling his iron axe back to rest on his shoulders. The small group of Aselian generals couldn't help but put on little grins of their own as they listened. "Remember 'em well."

"Still but, even _so,_ " Sabine suddenly interjected with as he turned a disapproving frown on the huge number of Sohanthian soldiers far-off from them. "All we have is each other and our own panicking forces; what are we gonna do without the boss and _his_ unit?"

"Well I guess it's down to _me_ until he gets back," Leo answered him gently, his voice whispering on the wind as he turned his hard-eyed frown on the approaching and intimidating force ahead of him. "But I don't like this either."

"For all we _know_ ,it could just be a message," Gerard finally spoke up after initially speaking earlier, turning to gauge the reactions of the disbelieving three around him. "W-What? It _could_ be!" He tried to reason with them uneasily.

"Not a force of _that_ size," Sabine answered to him with a dissenting shake of his head, a small bead of worried sweat dripping down his forehead as he spoke. "That's an assault force that is."

Edgar leant in to his companion's side, his eyes still on the approaching Sohanthian forces. "Commander... we're gonna need some kind of a plan here..."

"All right then, here's our orders," Leo interrupted the pair's words with his own, also glaring forward at the marching soldiers. "The king has specified that if any attacks come our way we've to use the terrain of Aselia's wall to funnel them in and take them a few at a time," the Mercenary claimed as he stared forward, as if speaking from memory. "I'll lead the entire Aselian unit; you guys back me up." He ordered as he turned to the nodding trio of companions and comrades.

This time however, as the three soldiers turned to head back down the steps, presumably for the battlefield, Leo remained a few seconds more to stare ahead, eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"You better not be too late Sel..."

–

 _ **2**_

"Commander Guskov, sir!"

The large bodied General merely blinked in response as he turned his head to his right to find his ever reliable sub-commander, the frowning Halberdier Ruchkin. He raised an eyebrow at the younger man, a mildly irritated frown adorned on his face as he shook it in a tilt at him.

"Yes?"

"We are making the final approach to Aselia, commander!"

Guskov rolled his eyes in light annoyance before turning his eyes back on the close approaching walls of Aselia.

"I can _see_ that, you dolt," the General admonished in mild irritation before narrowing his eyes. "Is our intelligence still accurate, Ruchkin?"

"Yes, sir, General sir!" The Halberdier exclaimed above the loud sound of their boots marching across the field, dotting his words with a dutiful salute. "King Selthris is Vikeruce has been reported as temporarily absent, sir!"

Ruchkin's words put a low grin on the listening General's face; he turned his eyes back on the approaching castle and its town ahead of him before re-opening his mouth to respond.

"Then Aselia is as good as _dead,_ " he hissed out as he glared at the kingdom they approached, his grin slowly growing as he did so. "It's just... not your day... is it Aselia...?"

* * *

"Hold!" Leo called out, his voice echoing across the Aselian plains and barely audible above the rocketing din of the roaring Sohanthian soldiers. The unit at the front carried at least eight men all wielding a huge piece of lumber, obviously dedicated in use to open their gates. The Mercenary narrowed his eyes down at the approaching forces and grit his teeth in growing discomfort; as if to add to his unease, the eight-man unit smashed their lumber into their gate and Leo had to stop from gasping, gripping the battlements he stood on to stop from losing his footing.

A kind of uneasy silence descended upon the huge army of two as they watched and waited for their inevitable face-off; Leo couldn't help but look up to exchange his worried frown with the smirking moustached man standing in the center of the Sohanthian forces. Not a single word uttered between them but his body language was all Leo had to know from him; the yellow-shaded General's armour was creased in a folded armed glare to match his superior smirk.

Finally however, knocking him out of his trance, the gate was abruptly smashed open and the Sohanthian men let out a morale raising battle cry. As they approached, the sky-blue military unit that was the Aselian defence crew, all Armour Knights, raised up their huge shields to block the incoming soldiers. Even as they smashed their steel lances into the Armour Knights' huge and sturdy shields, no side seemed to give in to the other. The sky-blue armoured men were sent slowly but surely skidding backwards from the sheer force of their numbers.

"Hold!" Leo exclaimed out once more as he gripped the sides of the battlements, glaring down at the enemy soldiers, looking for some kind of weakness. Eventually however, after what felt like ages, the pushing stopped; the Sohanthian assault force's energy run out. "Now!" The Mercenary called downward this time, eyes narrowing at their weak spots in their formation.

The sky-blue Armour Knights all pushed forward to send the gasping yellow soldiers reeling before slamming their own steel lances into their exposed skin, easily drawing blood. They swiftly all gave the amber armoured men the literal boot, sending them sprawling and rolling painfully across the ground before deftly raising back up their shields to block the next assault force's attack. Leo's chestnut brown eyes narrowed firmly down at the second attack unit stationed just ahead of their commander; all Archers and Snipers, readying their bow. The Mercenary swiftly turned his heel and his head around to face his companions waiting just below and next to him.

" _Now!_ " He shouted as loud as his lungs would allow before suddenly snapping his body and his head forward, twirling the iron blade he carried in the sheath on his hip. The young athletic Mercenary grunted as he used the battlements' to forward-flip off of high into the air, soon descending down on his enemy however, before he could, the rock-like Edgar plummeted before he even could.

 _SMASH_

Closer to the center he landed, his Earth Style Aegir causing a humongous earthquake; the Sohanthian soldiers let out a pain filled yell and cry, easily killing tens of hundreds of them in one blow. Leo followed up his close companion's attack with a Wind technique of his own; pulling his sword back his brown eyes widened before he swiftly and suddenly spun into a swirling spin attack, easily killing whatever his Axe Fighter friend missed. The young Mercenary landed in a similar spiral into the ground; a number of enemy soldiers leapt at him, presumably to attack him in his recovery period. The surprisingly swift Edgar managed to deny their desperate attempts by smashing his iron axe into the ground, glaring forward.

As if on reaction, the ground opened up to swallow the frowning Leo, encasing him in a protective rock coating; the Sohanthian soldiers all yelled and grunted as they were sent batting back the way they came. Though they levitated harmlessly in the air, as the rock shield Leo was encased in shattered prematurely, the Mercenary deftly leap neutrally upward in the air before grunting as he spun around in another twisting slash attack, his Wind Style Aegir intensifying the strength. The Sohanthian soldiers all let out a similarly agonised roar of pain together as they were sent sailing through the air, crashing further into yet more men of their unit.

As Leo landed he let out a single effort-filled grunt before swiftly spinning his iron blade around his right hand, gripping it with both; his compatriot and fighting partner also landed just behind him. Back to one another, Edgar and Leo both stood eyes narrowed at the watching and edgy Sohanthian soldiers, surrounded similarly together.

"There's _far_ too many...," Leo began lowly as he shook his head dismissively at the slow approaching, shield-risen men. "Where's Sel when you need him?!" He hissed out quietly in his hard-frown.

"Don't tell me you're chickening out of this?" The seemingly confident Axe Fighter questioned, a brown eyebrow of his own raised up curiously.

"I'm just saying; we could use his _help,_ " the Mercenary whispered out as his chestnut eyes darted across each hungry-faced soldier, baying for blood. "Of all days to be out dealing with _bandits..._ "

"He won't leave us like this," Edgar shot back suddenly but as quietly and objectively as he always did, shaking his head as he did so. He twirled the iron axe around his right arm as he glared back at the Sohanthian soldiers. "The boss has never let us down yet."

"Not where it _counts_ I guess...," the Mercenary couldn't help but chuckling lowly, shaking his head similarly. Edgar couldn't help but letting out a silent smirk of his own in listening. "All right then... let's see if these yella bellies can handle the routine." Leo finished out, this time with a confident smirk of his own. Edgar's eyebrows rose up, definitively surprised.

"The _routine?_ Isn't that just a _little_ bit unfair?"

The corner of Leo's mouth rose up in further amusement. "Not when they're throwing everything and the kitchen sink at us."

"Fair point." Edgar couldn't help but let out with a low grin of his own; the pair, grown closer over the years, couldn't help but slap the back sides of their fists together before suddenly leaping forward at the yelling Sohanthian soldiers.

–

 _ **3**_

"Come _on_ Sel, I'm sure it's _nothing,_ " Kay called out for what felt like the millionth time, her horse clopping along after her commander's. "You worry too much!" She admonished well-naturedly, ever grinning as she did so.

"For once I'm in agreement with Kay," George spoke up in a light sighing frown, facing his smirking Cavalier sister before re-turning to face the silver-haired Lord ahead of him. "It's not the _first_ time you've expressed this concern Lord Selthris."

"Still!" Ulric called out from the front of the pair he mentored, turning his brown moustached and goatee on the young Cavalier behind him. "We should always respect our lord's wishes!"

"No...," their commander finally spoke in response, disagreeing politely with his captain's retort. His silver-haired head shook lightly in emphasis before he continued on, turning his silver eyes back on the trio behind him. "Kay's probably right," Selthris smiled very wanly in response as he faced the three. He merely turned his head back slowly to face the Aselian fields before him, his tired eyed expression and the light silver stubble dotted around his face gave credence to his fatigued state. Though he raised his eyes back up to watch before him he continued on. "I wish I could say I was-" He began again before stopping his words mid-stream, his eyes widening as he did so.

Though their horses all clopped together in slow rhythm, the listening trio all exchanged looks together before turning back to their superior and questioning him.

"What's... wrong, Lord Selthris?" Ulric called forward quietly and concernedly, raising a brown eyebrow upwards as he did. However when the three all shot their heads up to trace his staring they found what he was proverbially shocked at; not far from their position was a veritable army of yellow-shaded soldiers.

Sohanthian colours...? They thought to themselves as they watched the sheer intimidating number. Clearly they were engaged in a competition or duel to the death with their own defence unit at the castle gates.

"No...," Selthris mouthed out a second time _(and this time in a different sense entirely)_ , his eyebrows lifting upward alongside the widening of his eyes. "Not _again!_ " The young Lord exclaimed suddenly exclaimed as he slammed his white boots into the sides of his horse; the creature let out a single whinny before acquiescing to his request, rushing forward in a sudden bound forward. Without a word of their own, Ulric shot his own horse forward along with his two sub-ordinates, easily following behind him.

* * *

Using his deft footwork and speed, Selthris easily leapt high into the air using his horse's saddle, allowing it to gallop away to safety. Pulling back the sword he once used in his fated confrontation, he narrowed his eyes down at the group of amber armoured soldiers before widening them and shooting down toward them at top speed, encased in a blue lightning aura. The soldiers, finally taking notice of the young rogue Lord, all turned and began to yell above even the din of their own at the frontlines; their own war cry.

"There's _another_ intruder!"

"It's the king! The king's not missing; the intel is wrong!"

"Everyone; the king's attacking!"

The soldiers' fallen words were lost to the side-flipping Lord; as he passed and slashed at the throats of a few of them, he landed in a swift skid, putting on a firm frown. Selthris caught the sight of his captain rushing the group that he had just previously attacked with his silver lance, joined by his two sub-ordinates and their horses. Merely giving the trio ahead a final look he abruptly bent his body backward to athletically evade the Soldier's steel lance stab; in his counter-attack he grasped at the man's wooden side of his lance, pulling him in. Utilising his sword he stabbed him as soon as he had pulled the poor man in, causing a gurgle of pain before he swiftly dropped to his knees in response.

Selthris used the man's fallen steel lance to vault off of; he pulled down at it and dropped it to the ground as he side-flipped over the group of roaring Sohanthian soldiers. As he very briefly levitated in the air, his silver eyes caught the surprised-expressed Leo staring back at him in the centre of the army. Edgar stood next to him, fighting with an enemy Soldier.

" _Leo!"_ He thought to himself urgently before narrowing his silver eyes down where he stood; he swiftly began to turn his body 'round and 'round, almost like a screw. Covered in a lightning aura of Aegir his very body and face were lost to the common eye, instead in their place a hunk of chirping thunder and lightning. Finally the human-screw of electricity dove toward the group of soldiers just a few steps away from the Axe Fighter and Mercenary in question. The Sohanthians let out an exclamation of pain and terror as they were engulfed in an unnatural electrical soup.

As Selthris finally landed, his Aegir shroud dissipated and with it, he slid across the ground in a 180 angle, body bent back down as he frowned hard at the soldiers ahead of him. Landing just between his two companions he swiftly stood back up and twirled his sword around his arm, smacking his back-fist with the grinning Leo.

"What took you so long?" The Mercenary asked as he casually walked along beside the young man, twirling his own iron blade around his right arm, grinning. Selthris couldn't help but grow a very small grin of his own in response to his closest companion.

"Highwood were in need... actually."

"That's... great to hear boss but...," Edgar strained from the the pair's right before he expelled forth a yell of effort, smashing his iron axe into the ground. Breaking his weapon struggle with the gasping Halberdier before him, he sent him tumbling back before letting loose a roar of effort as he smashed the ground once more. This time he brought the very earth itself up to swallow the poor Halberdier, easily killing him. With one final gasp of effort and growing fatigue, the young Axe Fighter turned on his heel to join his pair of comrades and companions, running his free left index finger across his nose as he did so. "We could seriously be doing with some help here." He finally finished his sentence in a tilt of his long-haired head, standing between the pair in a trio formation.

"Why is a Sohanthian force here?" Selthris merely questioned out as he parried an incoming Soldier's running stab before grunting as he tripped him up with a sweep. "Have they...," he began again before grunting with effort as he twirled his sword around and stuck it through the man's exposed neck, drawing crimson fluid. "Has their commander spoken yet?"

"Nope!" Leo exclaimed back in response as he abruptly tilted his body to the side in a skilful evasion; a Soldier's similarly sly stab attack whiffing. Using his increased strength, the Mercenary grunted once more as he hip tossed the Soldier over his crown, rolling backward as he did.

"But we _think_..." Edgar started from the other side, effortlessly following the sailing and yelling Soldier that his companion threw. He shot his iron axe upward to catch the unfortunate defenceless man before roaring with effort as he coated his weapon in Earth Style Quintessence. The Soldier let out a high-pitched holler of terror as he widened his eyes at the fast approaching ground.

 _DROOM_

The ground swallowed up once more to fit the poor man a coffin and, as he pulled his iron axe back in a skilful twist, Edgar used his free left hand to wipe at the healthy sheen of sweat across his forehead.

"That he's here _somewhere._ " The Axe Fighter finished eloquently as he stuck his iron axe up across his broad shoulders; an old habit.

"And next on 'obvious things to say'...," Selthris murmured back in reply, tilting his head to the side sarcastically before swiftly leaning his body to his right in a deft evasion. The Soldier that attempted to stab him lunged further forward in a gasping show of whiffing, wincing worriedly. Leo couldn't help but chuckle in his direction, clearly amused by his words whereas the listening Edgar merely rolled his eyes in response. "All right...," he began again before spinning his body around to approach the poor, slower Soldier. With a final but hard smack across the man's helmeted head, he sent him sprawling to the ground unconscious. "Then we'll have to search!" He exclaimed as he turned swiftly on his heel to block the next incoming Soldier on his right.

Edgar snapped his narrow-eyed head 'round to glare at the struggling pair before suddenly tossing his iron axe for the pair. As Selthris double-took in its direction he swiftly ducked his head to his left side to avoid the boomerang-style attack; the Soldier unfortunately was not so lucky. The iron axe struck him across the face and though most of the blade missed his flesh, it still sent him spinning backward in place, giving the young Lord room to breathe once more. As Edgar raised up his free left arm he caught his weapon skilfully, shooting the speed Lord a low smirk.

"Appreciate it," Selthris couldn't help but exclaim out in a laughing grin before turning his attention back on his enemy. With little subtlety this time he leapt forward in a sudden double-drop kick, sending the yelling man sailing back the way he came, crashing into the similarly howling soldiers. As Selthris rolled himself backward to recover, he twirled the sword he carried as he spoke next. "Faster we identify the commander-"

"Faster this is done!" Leo answered for his best friend as he swiftly rolled himself across a grunting Soldier's back. With deft athleticism, he spun himself around in an Aegir infused swipe, sending the grunting Soldier sprawling away. Still spinning, Leo ended his twirl with a grin in the Lord's direction before finishing. "Right?" He asked almost rhetorically, eliciting a listening grin from the younger youth. Selthris nodded.

"Right!" He exclaimed back in response before suddenly ducking once more to evade a pair of stabbing Soldiers behind him; he growled as he spun his body around in athletic recovery, his leg coated in lightning Quintessence. It struck the gasping men painfully, sending the two men bowling into separate gaggles of similar soldiers, breaking ranks and all.

"Meet back here in ten?!" Edgar called over his shoulder as he blocked a growling Halberdier's steel lance. Though Leo listened he waited for his commander's words, his authority essentially stripped.

"Yeah, sounds good!" Selthris called over his own shoulder, nodding before turning back to face his portion of the enemy soldiers. Spinning his sword around his arm expertly he allowed the lightning Aegir that usually encased him to spark and chirp very briefly, as if to warn his enemy as he took a few steps forward.

–

 _ **4**_

Even as he leapt around the desperate soldiers' attacks he attempted to keep from killing them, holding back some strength from his reserves. Though Selthris was once filled with hatred and anger three years past, he had tried somewhat to atone for his wrong ways.

He could still remember the words of the fabled one he had once met and how hard they hit to home.

Before he could ruminate any further on his concerns however, a flash of surprising steel yanked him out of them; his silvery eyes snapped over to a sword descending down upon him at top speed. Swivelling his own sword around diagonally upwards to block, he successfully caught his sneak attacking opponent mid-way in their attack. The pair of swordsmen were given gifts with their similarly glaring faces but when he saw his attacker, Selthris couldn't help but to drop his scowl in favour of a surprised frown, his eyebrows lifting to match his widened eyes.

A woman.

Her long ebony hair was tied in a neat ponytail, spilling across her slim back and she wore a very run-down and ratty brown battle tunic. Many scars and other blemishes were dotted across her otherwise homely countenance. Her sky-blue eyes stared directly into his dull silver, similarly curious looks around their faces.

Selthris quickly noted her tunic's colour and when it wasn't yellow he seemed to realise.

Was she _with_ Sohantha? Or against them?

As if to answer his question however, a running Soldier to their right caused the woman to rip her gaze from his before leaping off of him and smashing her boot into his face, sending him sprawling. Selthris watched her go, his silvery eyes still widened.

Well... that answered that, he thought to himself.

With that lasting, final rumination, the youth snapped his narrow-eyed scowl on the approaching Soldier and parried his running stab with his sword. Gasping as he was sent tumbling forwards harmlessly, Selthris spun around his side with a back-fisted smash against his helmet, sailing him unconscious towards the ground. As if to answer his _own_ attack however, the unnamed woman behind him shot into the situation around the Soldier's front before sticking her steel sword into the man's exposed sides. She flipped him 'round in a painful grunt, growling as she yanked her weapon out from his gut, blood spilling as she did. She turned her blemished and scowling face on him, as if annoyed.

"Confirm the kill!" She barked over at him, eliciting a surprised frown in response; Selthris could only stare at her for a brief second, unused to being talked to in such a direct tone. "Why aren't you killing them?!" She shrieked over at him angrily, briefly facing him before turning back to face down multiple Sohanthian soldiers. Selthris couldn't help but shake his head in a self-dismissive low grin.

Whoever she was, she _was_ right.

But he didn't want to just _kill_ these men if he could avoid it.

As if to finally answer the pair however, the ground began to shake and violently with each pressing tremble. Selthris, his uneasy ally and even the Sohanthian soldiers themselves stopped moving entirely to all gauge this new intruder.

Stepping out from a huge group of amber armoured soldiers was a notably differently shaded man. He stood in the sunlight, smirking as he folded his arms down at the standing pair. Selthris and his new, unnamed ally stood side by side, watching the large moustached man carefully. Seemingly a General, he let out a low chuckle as he regarded the hard-frowning Selthris, arms still folded.

"So... _you_ must be King Selthris of Aselia," the unnamed General began in greeting before he dutifully yet mockingly bowed forward at the youth, drawing derisive laughs from listening Sohanthian crowd. The ebony haired woman next to him couldn't help but turn to look at him, as if surprised; Selthris merely glared wordlessly back at the General, raising a curious silver eyebrow up at him. "A pleasure to meet you."

"And you are?"

"General Guskov of the Third Brigade," he introduced himself as he pulled his body up from his bow, resting an amber armoured arm on his waist as he did so. "And I see you-"

"Get the _fuck_ out of my home."

The surprised pair snapped their eyes and their heads 'round to the, thus unnamed woman that chose to abruptly interrupt them. Though Selthris could only raise his silver eyebrow up at her in surprise, the narrow-eyed General Guskov was less than entertained. He regarded the glaring young woman with a haughty, raised headed frown.

"What makes this... _woman...,_ " Guskov began in response, curling his lip in obvious disgust at the similarly scowling Swordmaster. "Think that she can speak among _men?_ " He asked as if rhetorically. Though Selthris rolled his eyes in impatience to open his mouth in response, the black-haired Swordmaster opted to reply to him instead.

"Because only Aselian women give birth to _real_ men." She shot back, half angrily and half insulting though not without her firm scowl. General Guskov exchanged his annoyed and growing scowl with hers in a quiet space of a few seconds. Sensing the growing tension in the air, Selthris opted to step in between the two and stood leant to the side as he frowned back at Guskov.

"Why are you here?" The young Lord opened with simply, asking the question that was burning on his lips since he had re-arrived. The General's brown eyebrows shot up in surprise at the new notion being presented forth before swiftly raising up his left hand to crinkle at his brown goatee, a low grin on his lips.

"Empress Sohantha has asked us to wipe Aselia from the map," the older General merely shot back, as if he were asked the simplest question ever. "That is _all,_ dear king Aselia." He ended in a knowing chuckle, eliciting similarly low chuckles from his quiet army around him.

"Empress Sohantha..." Selthris murmured in low-frowning thought, his brow furrowing lightly. His forehead creased as he thought of his year-long odyssey and the people he had encountered, including the woman General Guskov had mentioned. She was certainly a strange woman, he thought, but not one that would order destruction of nations to satisfy for her own ego.

Surely...?

"Yes, our empress," the General spoke softly in his bold claim, his arms still folded at the youth. "Truth be told you weren't even _supposed_ to know."

"Oh no?" Selthris asked in a low growl, his old anger returning to him as he regarded the superiorly smirking Guskov. The older General chuckled as he replied.

"Mm," he merely intoned out through his throat before turning his head around to regard the large group of Sohanthian men that had crowded 'round. "What say _we_ have a go?"

Selthris raised a curious eyebrow, his suspicious silvery eyes darting around the watching and silent Sohanthians, as if to confirm his words.

"I'd _love_ to see that reputation of yours from the Burning War...," Guskov began in his thick Sohanthian accent. "Oh son of Sathryon." He finished out with a low chuckle. Though Selthris tore his eyes away from the watching crowd, he couldn't help but regard them around his surroundings as he leant his body to the side, glaring at his enemy.

"A duel?" The young Lord questioned as he raised a curious eyebrow upwards. The General laughed, eliciting his unit around him to erupt into derisive laughter of their own.

"What _else?_ " He derided in his superior smirk. Selthris exchanged his suspicious frown with the man before finally nodding in response. Guskov raised up his head with a low smirk, as if satisfied. The Sohanthian soldiers all began to roar together in a resounding war cry. Leo emerged from between the roaring Sohanthians, curious faced with his companions lagging behind him and all. As he approached the glaring Selthris, he raised an eyebrow at the scene.

"Sel, what's ha-" Leo began as he turned to face his close companion before double-taking at the long black-haired woman standing just a few steps away from the Lord's position, glaring over similarly at the scene before her. "Who the hell are _you?_ " The Mercenary questioned uncharacteristically rudely, turning his mixed surprised and curious frown on her. The Swordmaster turned her scowl on him before merely shaking her head dismissively at him, swiftly returning her attention to the scheduled conflict before her. Leo could only blink back in response before turning back to exchange his unsure shrug with the approaching and frowning Edgar.

"So... what are your terms?" Selthris spoke up this time, leant to his right, eyes narrowed at his opponent. Guskov's side smirk curled upwards as he listened before opening his mouth to retort.

"If I win in our confrontation...," the General soon began as he took a step forward and bowed for the youth, as if mocking somehow. "Then you will come with me to Sohantha... alive and well."

Selthris re-raised his eyebrow curiously and suspiciously. "And if I win?"

"Name your conditions."

"Your forces leave; every single one of them." Selthris suddenly shot back in reply. A swift silence soon slid down for the watching army and the staring pair before, the wild card in the back interrupted.

"No!" She called over, an annoyed tone to her words; Leo couldn't help but wince in reply as he stood next to her, surprised and all. "You can't trust his _word!_ " She roared over angrily, calling the frowning Selthris to turn back and face her briefly.

"Someone _shut_ that woman _up,_ " Guskov warned in an annoyed growl, his smirk gone from his face temporarily. "Now...," he began again, growing his small grin once more as he reached behind him for his weapon; a massive Hero Axe. "Your terms are agreed upon... oh king of Aselia."

Selthris merely stared back at his new opponent wordlessly before unsheathing the longsword he had once received from his sister, three years past. Gripping it with both arms, he bent his body low; an old habit.

"Sel!"

The young Lord turned his head 'round to face the similarly frowning Leo.

"Be _careful..._ all right?" The Mercenary breathed over concernedly, drawing a simple frowning nod from the youth.

"Now... son of _Sathryon_...," General Guskov breathed out as he twirled his Hero Axe around his left arm expertly, grinning lowly as he did so. "Show me the lost strength of the world's _greatest_ soldier!"

* * *

Surprising the usually speedy youth, the large bodied General before him suddenly leapt at him with a deft swing of his Hero Axe; Selthris quickly bent his body to his right to avoid the broad swipe before using his swift footwork to spin his body around to the large man's undefended side. Though Guskov widened his eyes in surprise he could do nothing in time to block or evade his younger opponent's counter; Selthris grunted as he struck the gasping General across the back of his unprotected head. The shock surprised him and, as he stumbled forwards, he barely managed to catch himself on the ground with both arms in time for his opponent's _next_ attack.

The super-fast Lord soon re-appeared from the man's top right, as if from no-where; he shot his Hero Axe diagonally upwards to block the youth's lightning infused strike and found himself grunting with effort as he was sent skidding backward from the impact. Snapping his head around him in a well-educated guess, General Guskov turned his angry scowl around to his undefended rear to find the zipping young Lord chirping into materialisation behind him, easily pursuing him. Swinging his broad axe around, he let out a boisterous and battle-crying laugh as he smashed his weapon with the grunting and hard-faced Selthris.

 _CRASH_

An intense mix of their Aegir auras meshed together, Selthris stuck in mid-air limbo and the contrastingly grinning Guskov, his free left arm clenched at his side as he stood legs far apart. The ground and the air around them grew intensely violent with the screams of the Sohanthian soldiers and the ground shaking similarly fiercely. Those closest to their lightning and wind natured auras were forced to raise up their arms to keep from being blown back, the sheer force of their strength too much for the common soldier to handle.

Finally however, the grinning Guskov got what he desired; the laughing General widened his eyes as he managed to force the narrow-eyed Selthris retreating back; the Lord was sent back-flipping in his opposite direction, landing on one of the many surrounding Sohanthian soldiers' shields. The two glared at one another in contrasting expressions, Selthris' scowl to Guskov's grin, before the young Lord deftly vaulted off the grunting Sohanthian's armour. Seeming utilising his Wind elemental Quintessence, Guskov gave obvious pursuit and as Selthris watched him from his higher position, he seemed to be planning something. Though the General could not be sure, he laughed anyway as he swung his body around in conjunction with his Aegir in a wide and broad razor-wind swipe. His attack seemingly struck true and, yet, no blood or even clothing was drew. The General widened his eyes as he recovered from his attack in his spin before gasping in sudden realisation when he saw the young man's body flicker.

"No!" He called out suddenly, eyes widening once more but this time for a different reason.

 _SMASH_

From behind him, the scowling Selthris re-appeared, easily and surprisingly passing through the older man with an incredibly firm stab attack. Time seemed to slow down for the pair; as Guskov dropped his Hero Axe, he almost seemed to float through the air harmlessly, arms outstretched as if to wring his speedy opponent's throat. Pieces of his amber armour dropped in chunks from his pierced defences alongside the crimson colour of his blood. As Guskov stared directly ahead at the similarly levitating Lord, when he turned his silver-haired head around to glare back at him, the General's eyes widened once more as he realised his intent to follow up his attack.

Suddenly disappearing from the common eye, Selthris very soon re-appeared in multiple different locations, dotted around the gasping and harmlessly falling Guskov. By now, the Sohanthian military surrounding them had stopped calling in support for their leader and had fallen quiet, allowing the rest of the audience to watch in silence. Guskov's eyes darted around his position to find himself surrounded, not by the Aselian military but by his one _opponent._ Seeming _clones_ of the scowling young Lord levitated in mid-air, waiting for him to fall at a specific height to continue their attack.

Finally, answering his concerns, the speedy silver-eyed swordsman shot off in all directions, lightning Aegir coated in every stab, slice and slash. Guskov couldn't help but grunt and gasp in the blinding pain; the electricity piercing his wind-elemental defences. Seemingly and finally ready to deal the finishing blow, Selthris' copies dissipated and the original himself re-appeared high above the wide-eyed General.

" _No..._ " Guskov barely managed to growl out between the pain and blood, shaking his scowling head as he did so but it was far too late; the similarly grimacing Selthris bulleted earthwards at top speed.

 _DROOM_

The intense strength of his lightning Aegir caused a mixing sound of an explosion and an electrical chirp as he quite literally shot through the yelling General's already exposed chest. Time seemed to slow down once more for the poor Guskov as he stared directly skyward, his tearful eyes widened; he could only cough once in a show of pained effort, blood violently escaping from his mouth.

As Selthris dropped back down to the ground, he gave one single flip before landing, opting to raise up his hand. His sword shot back down straight after him and the hard-scowling youth merely grabbed it by its loyal hilt, turning his gaze overhead as he did so. Time returned to its normal flow when Guskov finally crashed to the Aselian field in a painful show of grass, rock and smoke. A few uneventful seconds passed between the silent audience and the two duellers before, finally, the smoke cleared and when it did, a resounding battle-cry rent the air firmly.

The morale-filled war cry, revealed to be the Aselian military dotted around the area in watching, began to turn their wordless appraisal to a chanting of their scowling king's name. The Sohanthians all exchanged looks, as if unsure on how to react or proceed from this point. Badly wounded and covered in broken pieces of his own armour, Guskov could only cough once more when the dust settled, turning his blurry gaze upward at his firm-frowning opponent.

"I-Impossible...," the man could only manage out in his pained stammer. Selthris merely stared back down at him, his eyes narrowed in his leant position. "I am... one of... the empire's..."

"You remember our deal... don't you?" Selthris interrupted softly with as he frowned down at the older man below him. Guskov's eyes widened in response as he listened intently. "You're badly wounded... but you'll live," he began again as he narrowed his eyes down at the man. His words seemed to interrupt the roaring Aselian military and they stopped calling to listen also. "Leave... before I change my mind." The Lord intoned downward at the man, drawing an angry but assenting scowl from the General.

"You _idiot!_ "

The young Lord snapped his silver-haired head around to his rear to find the woman he was previously engaged with scowling back at him, hands clenched together as if furious. The wide-eyed Leo at her side grunted as he attempted to grab her by the sides of her arms, as if to pull her back from interfering. Uncaring of his attempt, she struggled regardless and scowled over at the listening Lord.

"Don't just _leave_ him!" She advised over angrily in her similar scowl. " _Kill_ him!" She ordered, eliciting a raised eyebrow from him in response.

Who _was_ this woman, he thought.

The bloody and gurgling chuckle of his fallen opponent caused him to turn his head back however and, as he did, he frowned down at him.

"You won't be able... to run... far e-enough...," Guskov began lowly in a satisfied sounding chuckle, his eyes temporarily shut as he smirked. He re-opened his eyes to smirk back at the frowning Selthris. "Leaving me alive like this...," he admonished quietly as he shook his head dismissively up at the youth. "You have no _idea_ the h-horrors our e-empress has... planned for _you!_ " He managed to finish out-with before erupting into gurgling and blood-filled laughter. Selthris stood over the the fallen General, eyes narrowed in his low and thoughtful scowl. He hovered over him for a few more seconds before finally opting to turn on his heel and walk away from him, allowing breathing room for his sub-commander to come and assist him.

Though he had won the engagement, Guskov's words stayed with him for months to come.


	3. Meeting of the Five Kingdoms

**Chapter 2: Meeting of the Five Kingdoms; Discussion in Etherthien!  
**

 _ **Five Kingdom Summit Arc**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"Morale Fades" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Scene **3** (First Half)._

* * *

 _In a shocking movement indeed the empire, oldest nation in the continent, has opted to move in attacking other countries with its imposing military might. Led by their general Guskov, the intimidating force of numbers are surprisingly easily batted away by Aselian might of their own. With the return of their missing king, Selthris Vikeruce, Aselia's morale is able to shake off the dark-amber of Sohantha. Opting to spare their enemy commander, Selthris gleans several and perhaps worrying pieces of information from him._

 _Meanwhile in Etherthien and Coremond, king Alaric and the Coremondians' elder, lady Salnarra, have thus been informed of current events. Operating immediately, king Alaric sends out messengers, hoping to put an brief end to the fighting. His message is a request to each country leader to, for the first time in some of their lives, meet up together to discuss these important issues. Coremond, under lady Salnarra's guidance, have opted to agree having already sent their reply however, Sohantha and Naerith have yet to send any kind of word back._

 _In Aselia, relatively new king Selthris Vikeruce, fresh from his successful defence of his country, deals with other issues as well as the rising concern of war. Having just barely won his nation back from his old enemies, king Alpheus of Naerith and their lead general; the Masked Man, Selthris finds himself in the same shoes as his god-uncle, king Alaric. Wishing no more blood to be shed, he sends his own acquiescing reply before swiftly readying himself for the destination he had once travelled to in his earlier journey._

 _To Etherthien._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

Even as he ran his arms around the winter coat he wore, Selthris couldn't help wincing from the sheer weight of it. Leo, on his right in the barracks, couldn't help but put on a grin as he spied the younger male from his side of the room.

"Bear with it, Sel," the Mercenary advised as he spun his own arms 'round the coat he wore. "Where _we're_ goin' we're gonna need 'em."

"I know...," Selthris grumbled as he narrowed his eyes down at the material, clenching his teeth with his fingers as he did so. "It's just less movement than I'm used to...," he admitted in a low sigh through his nose as he re-raised up his head. "That's all."

His closest companion grinned back at him before edging his head backward, toward the exit of the men's barracks. Following his silent gesture, the young Lord shook his head of his own infernal thoughts.

"Gotta learn how to switch off...," Leo finally replied with, a grin on his face as he turned briefly to face the young adult, index finger pointed at the side of his head. "Yer highness." He added in a growing grin; Selthris couldn't help but shake his head as he chuckled lowly, regaining the cheer he always carried around his confidant.

"Let me _through!_ "

The pair, surprised by the sudden interrupting voice, turned their heads almost simultaneously to the entrance and exit doors that they were sauntering towards. Though Selthris narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the doors, as if trying to remember who the voice belonged to, Leo merely winced.

"Oh _no,_ " he murmured lowly. "Not _her._ "

"M-Miss this is the _men's_ barracks, you can't-"

" _Urgh!_ I don't care; I just _need_ to see-"

The obviously heated woman on the other end of the doors shot her head up mid-sentence as soon as the pair of young men walked on through. The man holding her back, wearing the classic Aselian sky-blue colours of armour, turned his apologetic and sweating frown on the pair.

"I'm sorry, Lord Selthris but..."

"It's... fine, George," Selthris finally answered the tired blonde Cavalier in response, shaking his head dismissively. "Just head on out to join us outside."

With that, the dutiful Cavalier bowed in respect before turning to head off towards the exit of the barracks, leaving them with the glaring black-haired woman before them.

"You!" She suddenly called out rudely, thrusting one of her fingerless gloved fingers at Selthris accusingly, advancing on him as she did. The Lord in question could only rise a silver eyebrow up in his own query.

"Yes?"

"Your enemy is Sohantha... right?" The Swordmaster questioned in a hard furrowed brow stare. Selthris watched her silently for a second to allow her to continue. "I want to join."

Taken aback this time, Selthris' eyes blinked and he exchanged his curiosity with the listening Leo before turning back to face her.

"You were on the battlefield yesterday... weren't you?" He asked, a similarly notable expression on his face and all.

She merely nodded wordlessly back at him.

"You were...," he began again in reply, narrowing his own eyes and furrowing his own brow as he spoke. "Very wild."

Her low scowl twitched as she listened but quietly.

"I'm sorry... but I can't use you," the Lord disinclined as he shook his head softly at her before swiftly pressing forward past her. She didn't even bat an inch as she waited for the two men to pass her before swiftly reaching for her sword. In a nanosecond her sword clashed against his in a surprising show of sparks, Selthris with his back to her and her hard glare on him from his seemingly undefended rear. "Put it away," he advised in a gentle but firm, suggestive tone of his voice. His hard frown intensified as he stared ahead of himself. "I'm not spilling any blood that I don't have to."

"That's your problem," the Swordmaster finally opened her mouth to reply before expertly twirling her steel sword back to her side. Selthris, his defence successful twisted his own blade back to his sheath quietly as he listened, unmoving in his position. "You're too delicate for this."

"I'm sorry, _who_ are you?" Leo interrupted in a good-natured but mildly miffed reply as he shook his head at the woman. She turned her blemished scowl on him as she replied.

"Sevrenna," she finally answered them. Her words managed to get the Lord ahead of her to half-turn his head. He stared back at her wordlessly with one silver eye from the side, listening further. "My _name._ " The Swordmaster finally gave claim to as she lightly leant her head forward, as if to get her point across.

"I don't recognise you," Selthris claimed, staring at her through his right eye. "Do you live in Aselia?"

"Yes, once," she answered as she twirled her steel sword once, placing it in its sheath noisily. "I've been travelling for a long time."

"Oh yeah?" Leo queried curiously, raising an eyebrow up.

" _Yeah,_ " she shot back sarcastically, scrunching her face up lightly in emphasis before re-asserting her expression. "I can handle myself in a fight."

"You been by yourself?" Selthris spoke up, eliciting a raised eyebrow from her in response.

"Yeah," she repeated, this time in a full, serious tone. "Why?"

"That explains it." Leo grinned lightly, more to himself than to her; his arms folded as he spoke. She turned her annoyed scowl on the Mercenary and growled at him.

"Explains _what?_ "

This time Selthris opted to turn his body around to face her, his slim body leant to the side. "He's talking about your teamwork skills," he answered, eliciting a surprised expression from her in response. His own eyes narrowed contrastingly, as if hitting a bullseye. "You've never worked with many people before, am I right?"

"I-" The Swordmaster suddenly shot out with in reply but caught herself mid-speech. Though she scowled at him angrily and twitched in thought, she could not conjure up any more words to hit out with.

"Mm... I thought as much," the young Lord frowned out. "The Aselian military and _my_ unit in particular utilise certain strategies to keep ourselves alive; each man next to the other is the source of our strength," he explained briefly before shaking his head at her for the second time. "I'm sorry," he repeated before turning on his heel and heading for the door. "I cannot use you."

Though Leo exchanged a singular frown with the pair, he could only turn and follow his close companion. The duo left the scowling Sevrenna all on her lonesome, staring after the pair wordlessly.

* * *

The snow crunched noisily under his boots as he walked on, ever forward, leading the small number of soldiers behind him. It had already been a few days since he had left Aselia with his crew-of-old; knights Ulric, Kay, George, Sabine, Gerard and, of course, Leo joined him in his march to Etherthien. The climb through not just Coremond fields but through Etherthien's frozen hills and mountains were not an easy feat. Even as seasoned as he felt after his journey three years past, he _still_ felt the exertion that he used to.

His mind couldn't help but wander back to his old friends in Coremond when he was passing the plains as well as the companions he had made in the very nation he was travelling to. The young Lord could only sigh through his nose as he returned his attention to the glaring matters in his mind.

Sohantha and a possible second war in his lifetime.

He could appreciate king Alaric's thoughts in this gesture; perhaps the first Five Kingdom Summit since the days of his father, Sathryon Vikeruce.

"Feels like a million years ago..." He mouthed, more to himself in deep thought than to anyone else.

"Whassat?" Leo called out from his side, ever dutifully next to him. Selthris blinked out of his surprise before turning to face the Mercenary. He shook his silvery head in a dismissive smile however.

"Nothing," he answered half-honestly, eliciting a lightly satisfied smile from the older youth. "I was just thinking."

"Too much again, huh?" Leo laughed good-heartedly, his hands in his pockets. He leant his head to his top right side as he did so, drawing a light chuckle from his companion.

"Something like that."

"Lord Selthris!"

The young man turned his head curiously to find his ever loyal captain, Ulric, walking behind him, facing him with his two vassals. When Selthris raised an eyebrow upward voicelessly at him, the Paladin opted to gesture to his right with a point of his index finger. Selthris and Leo exchanged a surprised frown before tracing his gesture to find a sight he never thought he'd see in years.

The smiling lady Salnarra of Coremond, dressed in full fur coat gear stood with two familiar men at her sides. The scowling form of slim Bernhard stood wearing a similar coat, his arms folded. The contrastingly tall and stocky Gorlin stood directly next to the pair, a conflicting toothed smirk to his expression, wearing similar green clothing to his companions.

"Gorlin!" Kay suddenly exclaimed out in amidst the falling snowflakes of Etherthien's light weather. She suddenly took off toward the Coremondian trio before crashing into the laughing Gorlin in question. George couldn't help but shake his head in a chuckling sigh as he watched and Ulric exchanged his good-natured smile with the hard-frowning Bernhard. Selthris and Leo exchanged their own smiles before following their blonde companion to join the group of three.

"It is nice to see you again, Prince Selthris," Salnarra greeted in a respectful bow, her long brown hair drooping over her face as she did so. Before she could finish herself however her eyebrows lifted in light surprise as she shot her head back up. "Oh! But that's _King_ Selthris now, isn't it?"

"Kid grew up!" Gorlin suddenly exclaimed as he advanced on the group, the similarly beaming Kay next to him. The huge Coremondian swordsman laughed as he slapped the young noble across his back, drawing a surprised cough from him. "You're so _tall_ now!"

Selthris couldn't help but laughing back at the man, smiling up at him. "I'm still no-where near as big as _you_ Gorlin."

"Ain't _that_ the truth." The Nomad Trooper grinned out pridefully as he re-folded his arms, eliciting a comfortable laugh from within the group.

"It's nice to see you too, elder Salnarra," Selthris finally managed to greet back in response as he also bowed in respect before continuing. "You too, sir Bernhard." The Lord smiled lightly in the hard-frowning man's direction. Bernhard merely grunted back at the youth; his own kind of greeting.

"Never one for words, eh my old friend?" Ulric welcomed happily, his moustache creasing in the snowflakes as he smiled widely at the contrastingly faced swordsman.

"So...," Salnarra began again before gesturing to the Aselian and Coremondians with them to continue on through the mountain. Selthris turned to walk alongside her, regaining his own frown. "You also received king Alaric's letter, yes?"

The Aselian noble nodded in response. "Yes."

Salnarra noted his retort with a nod of her own. "I had heard Sohantha attacked you but mere days ago."

"Fucking _bastards,_ " Bernhard chimed in with a low growl as he marched alongside the frowning Ulric. "It's a numbers game to _them._ "

"Bernhard..." Salnarra chided in a miffed sigh as she turned to face him in her walk.

"It's fine," Selthris waved the matter off with a patient laugh. "Yes, they _did_ attack us."

"Fought 'em _all_ off I bet though, eh, eh?" Gorlin nudged from the back in a brotherly grin, poking the youth with his large elbow softly. Selthris chuckled in his direction with a nod.

"We did, actually," he responded before continuing on with a frown as he faced the Coremondian's leader. "They timed it well on their part."

"Oh yeah?" Bernhard called over, seemingly curious.

"Yeah; they went for us when Sel was gone," Leo answered for his close companion, turning to face the nomad as he edged his thumb in the younger adult's direction. "I feel like they did that on purpose."

"Well, with his reputation from Naerith's Burning War it would not surprise me," Salnarra added on as she folded her fur coat arms in a knowing smirk. "And... speaking of Naerith..."

"Yeah we're not sure either," Kay offered in from the back, next to her annoyed younger brother. "Since their king's disappearance three years ago we've seen nor hide nor hair of 'em."

"It's downright bizarre," Gerard murmured, his voice just barely loud enough for the group to hear around them. "Especially after how desperate they were in that fight."

"Could just be the same reason _we've_ been quiet," Edgar claimed objectively as he shrugged alongside the frowning and marching Sabine. "Could be rebuilding."

"Promote that man," Salnarra joked in a low grin as she turned to face the long haired Axe Fighter. Edgar blinked at her cluelessly, drawing a group laugh from the listeners. "But seriously, we all should be fine," the nomad leader chuckled well-naturedly. "This will be healthy I think; not only will we get to meet king Alpheus' rumoured orphan but we may finally get some answers from the empire."

"I definitely want _those_ above anything," Selthris murmured in response as he turned his firm gaze on the far off but sky-piercing castle of Etherthien. His mind drifted back to the strange empress of Sohantha in his meeting with her three years ago. "She owes us _those_ at the very least."

"Quite right," Salnarra agreed in a smiling nod. "I am sure things will go along better than you would have thought," she began again, her smile soon growing to a grin as she leant her expression down toward him knowingly. " _Especially_ if you're still as negative as you used to be."

Selthris shot the woman back a silently quipping low smirk of his own, as if in silent agreement. The group behind him laughed boisterously once more, tickled by the Coremondian's sense of humour.

"Safe bet on that!" Kay exclaimed in her own laughter as she joined the smirking pair.

"Sel...," Leo whispered, this time on his left side. The Lord lost his smirk as he turned a quizzical frown on his best friend, blinking. He caught the Mercenary staring up at the snowy mountains on their right; he traced his stare and squinted to see what he was possibly looking at. "See her?" He whispered on, edging one of his thumbs up to trace his eyesight. Selthris had to look a little more to see it but Leo was right on the money as he usually was; a notable figure scaled the dangerous mountainous range next to them, turning to watch them every now and then. "She's been following us since-"

"Aselia," Selthris sighed out in soft interruption. Leo turned to face his superior with an assenting, frowning nod. "I was afraid of that."

"It's her, isn't it?" Leo asked, raising a curious eyebrow before swiftly turning back to watch the monkey-like young woman leap across the hills. "Sevrenna." He answered his own question with a suspicious narrow of his eyes.

"Yeah," the Lord replied in an agreeing nod as they marched. "I don't know what she hopes to gain... but...," he began before lightly shaking his head as he stared up at her in thought. "We should be fine if we leave her alone for now."

Leo turned to face him for a second or two before nodding in obedience, opting to shift his vision back 'round to the woman in question.

–

 _ **2**_

"Greetings, and welcome, my son!" King Alaric addressed in a grand opening, a wide smile upon his face as he watched the frowning Selthris walk in with the Coremondian force tagged along with his own.

The recent Aselian king could only smile warmly back in response; a genuine one as he advanced on his god-uncle. He took the man's hand in his own and smiled up back at him; Alaric, unchanged through the years, could only lay a gloved hand on the Vikeruce's own as he continued.

"You have changed so much since I last saw you," Alaric chuckled good-heartedly, drawing a lighter smile from the young adult in response. "Ah!" The Etherthien king grinned as he shot his head up to regard the rest of his guests. "And of course our great Coremondian guests! Please, come in, come in!" The man warmly welcomed in a respectful bow.

"Always one for showmanship, eh Alaric?" Salnarra grinned over at him as she advanced toward him, arms folded.

"Always," the king bantered with as he recovered from his bow, joining his gloved hands behind his long coat. "It is so very nice to see all of you once again after all this time," he greeted as he regarded the smiling faces in the Aselian and Coremondian military. "Were it only under... happier circumstances." He lamented only as he tilted his head briefly in his new frown. Selthris lost his own smile in his agreeing nod before double-taking when he caught the similar faced Tina standing next to her king wearing her full Pegasus Knight gear, alongside a similar looking knight next to her that he did not recognise. When she caught his eyes, the teal haired woman greeted him in a silent smile, unable to move from her position.

Selthris couldn't help but smile wanly back at her, a guilty feeling running down the back of his spine.

I'm sorry, he thought.

"How was your trip?" Alaric interrupted his train of thought, turning his smiling face down to the youth. "All well I hope?"

"Um... y-yes, it was uneventful," the Lord stammered out in response, caught unaware. Perhaps surprised, Alaric raised his eyebrows up as he listened. "A _good_ journey."

"Quite right," Alaric chuckled good-naturedly, standing back up straight as he did so. "I imagine there have been worse trips."

" _Far_ worse," Salnarra offered in with a bantering grin before edging her thumb down at the folded armed and scowling Bernhard on her right. "A trip with a growler can be trying."

Bernhard turned his scowl up at his leader, clearly annoyed at her.

"Trying indeed!" Alaric couldn't help but erupt into a small fit of laughter in response, strangely cheerful. "I _am_ sorry to hear it." The man chuckled as he wiped away at a tear on his expression.

"Um... king Alaric, sir," Selthris greeted in light and soft interruption. The monarch of Etherthien turned his curious frown down on the young man in response. "There's a woman outside and she-"

"A woman?" Tina suddenly interrupted sharply, pulling the pair's attention. Though she initially furrowed her brow suspiciously at them she winced when she realised what she had done before avoiding their eyes altogether and staying silent. Selthris frowned back at her in a zig-zag like, guilty frown before mixing it with Alaric's chuckling head-shake.

"Go on." He urged softly.

"Um... yes, there's... a woman that's been following us since Aselia," the Lord finally managed to explain, however briefly, raising his coat and gloved arms to gesture with in his words. Salnarra, Gorlin and Bernhard all snapped their eyes in his direction, as if shocked by this new revelation. "And I don't want her to freeze out there, so..."

"Say no more my son," Alaric chuckled again good-heartedly as he briefly shut his eyes, raising up a soft gloved palm of his own. "She shall be a guest alongside the Aselian forces."

"A _woman?_ How long was this for?" Gorlin rumbled over in his folded armed frown.

"Yes, I'm surprised I never noticed myself, in all honesty," Ulric stated out in a surprised frown as he briefly turned to watch the closed doors to the castle. He swivelled his head around to frown back at his new king however and opened his mouth to continue. "Is she an-"

"No," Leo interrupted with gently but firmly, frowning next to the much older man. Ulric blinked over at the younger Mercenary, raising a curious greying eyebrow. "No, she's... definitely with _us_ than with Sohantha or anyone else."

Satisfied with the reliable youth's answer, the group turned back around to their discussion.

"Speaking of Sohantha...," Salnarra began, this time in a questioning frown, leaning forward lightly as she did so. "Have they arrived yet...?"

"No," Alaric responded with in a deft but firm shake of his head. "We are still waiting for Naerith's ambassador as well."

"Naerith," Selthris parroted, his eyes shooting back up to face his god-uncle with, brow furrowed in sudden suspicion and all. Alaric turned in general curiosity to face him, waiting. "Do you know who...?" He trailed off as he nodded lightly at him, as if waiting for him to interrupt. King Alaric merely shook his head in unsure disinclination.

"No, I'm sorry," he apologised briefly before elaborating further. "We know, essentially, what _you_ all know."

" _Absolutely_ no-one _seems to know who this person is...,"_ Selthris thought to himself in temporary frustration, bringing his right thumb up to bite at the nail. _"Maybe if I..."_

"I have made several rooms for _all_ of your forces," Alaric smiled lightly as he clapped his hands gently, roughly pulling the youth from his internal thoughts. "Lord Selthris, your Aselian force should be staying in the east wing. I shall inform your nameless friend when we find her roaming the mountains." The king explained briefly in a light chuckle, eliciting a frowning nod from the youth in response.

"Lady Salnarra you and your men shall be staying in the west wing; directly opposite," the man smiled once more as he turned to face the similarly smiling woman. "I hope your stays shall be pleasant ones."

"Hey yo what do we do about food?" Kay interrupted suddenly with a raise of her hand, frowning over at the surprised Etherthien noble. "I'm _starving._ " She moaned lowly, her long blonde ponytail dropping over her shoulders comically as she did so. Though Selthris and Leo couldn't help but chuckle, even if silently to themselves, the frowning George brow-furrowed Ulric turned their ire on her.

" _Kay!_ " The veteran Paladin admonished angrily, inducing a comical wince from the listening Cavalier.

"It's quite all right sir Ulric," Alaric laughed good-heartedly before turning his smile back on the young woman. "Go get settled with your companions; dinner shall be served in the main hall in about an hour." He explained briefly, drawing an excited grin from her in response.

"Oh _yeah!_ " She exclaimed in growing enthusiasm.

"Though I will be busy in doing many things over the course of this visit, please do not hesitate to ask me any questions that any of you may have for me," the hospitable king smiled in his informing explanation. "And, with that, I shall hopefully see you all at dinner."

* * *

Selthris frowned as he stared out at the snow infested mountains of Etherthien through the window provided to him. His arms were folded as his brow furrowed in thought.

"Sel, come on," a voice interrupted, causing his expression to drop; he swivelled around to face the Mercenary, surprised, finding him resting on his bed with his legs crossed on it. "Ya gotta learn how to switch _off,_ remember?" He asked in a grin, through the piece of grass he chewed on; an old habit. Selthris couldn't help but smile back weakly in response, nodding before turning back to the window.

"I guess I'm just anxious," he admitted gently as he turned his smile-turning-frown back out at the window. "After that battle and even with Naerith, I..." The Lord mumbled, seemingly more to himself as he shook his head, lowering his eyes.

"Come _on,_ " Leo grinned over at him audaciously, his arms resting around his neck, propping up his head. "Chill for the next few days; we're in _Etherthien!_ " He claimed boldly as he chewed on his blade of grass. "No-one'll start anythin' here-"

 _KNOCK-KNOCK_

The pair of young men stiffened and snapped their heads around to the exit of their room, surprised. Swiftly exchanging curious looks, Leo opted to make the first move; with a light grunt he took the grass from his mouth and pushed himself up off his bed, walking over towards the door. Selthris returned his attention to the outside of the castle, frowning. When he heard the door opening he did not budge his stance, attempting to return his thoughts to current matters.

"Oh Sel!" Leo's sarcastic but jovial call came from behind him. The young king turned his lightly sighing frown around to face him before widening his eyes in surprise at the sight. Though he grinned at the door, hand still resting on it, a familiar messy haired woman stood in the hallway. "You got a visitor." The Mercenary grinned over at him suggestively. Selthris shot his close companion an annoyed look before putting on a smile as he swivelled his body 'round to address his said visitor.

Tina.

As he advanced on the pair, he couldn't help but exchange his frown with Leo's grin, his boots thudding quietly against the soft carpet.

"I'll leave you two kids alone." He shot in casually in his confident grin before doing just that; opting instead to walk over to Selthris' old position at the window. As he watched him go, Selthris couldn't help but grow a small smile on his face, feeling thankful for having a friend like Leo.

What did I ever do to deserve him, he thought to himself.

Ridding himself of any more negative thoughts he opted to turn back to the Pegasus Knight at his door. He greeted her with a silent smile as she raised up her white gloved hand to wave at him in her own. The Lord stepped out into the hall to join her, softly closing the door behind him with an audible click.

"I wasn't sure if you were willing to talk with me." Tina began finally, a nervous chuckle on her lips as she stood opposite him.

He smiled wanly back at her before edging his spiky-silvery head to his top-right, as if to gesture for her to follow. The pair started to walk together down the long hall, joined only by the light outside the windows and by the crackling of the torches around them.

"It's... nice to see you," the Pegasus Knight began bravely as she joined her gloved hands together in front of herself. "You look... taller," she said in her smile. Though he frowned wordlessly back at her, he put on a smile of his own as he listened to her. "I hope things go well for your country here today."

"So do I," Selthris finally opted to respond with, a tired but hard frown on his face as he stared down at the ground below him. He placed his hands in his pockets as he continued on before turning his eyes up to smile back at her. "You look nice too." He complimented her in his warm smile. She lost her own in response, her teal eyebrows lifting upwards as if in shock before suddenly returning as quickly as she lost it.

"Y-You look just like _he_ did," the Pegasus Knight claimed boldly even if she stammered uncertainly. "Your father, I mean," she corrected in her smile. However, when she suddenly spied the frowning wince on his face as he turned away from her, her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no shouldn't I have-?"

"It's... fine," the Lord chuckled good-naturedly, dismissing the matter off with a light shake of his head as he re-faced her. "It's been three years; get over it!" He joked with as he tilted his head in a direction with a grin. She laughed with him, sharing the smile for a few seconds before silence won the day again between them. The elephant in the hallway that they walked through loomed over them before, finally, Tina opted to open her mouth.

"I'm sorry about-"

"I'm sorry that-"

Their voices both almost immediately fell flat and they stopped moving entirely to stare at one another, similarly sheepishly. When they realised they had spoke at the exact same time and had even interrupted one another they gradually turned their heads back to examining the ground or the walls around them, continuing their march forward.

"No, you shouldn't be apologising," Selthris began this time, cutting through the tension like a blazing poker. Though his voice was soft and low it seemed to carry astounding weight; the Pegasus Knight listening winced lightly as she waited, swivelling her head around. " _I_ should."

"What do you...?"

"Three years ago, how I treated you; how I spoke to you," the Lord started again as he frowned back down at the ground in remembrance. "It was how I was with most of everyone but... I was a bad person back then," he explained briefly before slowly turning back his head to face hers. "I had no time for anyone but myself... and I led you on; I didn't even think about it," he admitted in his firm frown, a tired expression in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Tina," he finally apologised. She stopped moving entirely and he had to stop a few steps after her, surprised, staring at her. "Tina?"

"You're _not_ a bad person," she mouthed over at him, taking a daring step forward. She placed one of her gloved hands on his tenderly. Though she stared directly into him, he couldn't help but avert her eyesight, ashamed. "You were just... distracted." The Pegasus Knight breathed in a low smile.

" _Too_ distracted I bet."

The pair, shocked by the voice's interruption, widened their eyes; Selthris wrenched his hand away from hers and placed it on his mouth, as if to emphasise his brief scare. A long black-haired woman stood down the stairs to the foyer, her arms folded at them. She wore different clothes than he remembered; unusually ladylike for her indeed, a simple purple dress and she was even cleaned up but it was definitely her. The woman from the battle at Aselia.

Sevrenna.

"Sevrenna," Selthris managed out in a lightly annoyed gasp. Tina's eyes narrowed and darted between them, as if suspicious. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged up at him, scowling as she always seemed to. "King sent me up here to your room; there's no more space left in the west wing."

Further annoyed at her interjection, Selthris let out a low but very quiet sigh through his nose, running his hand down his face in a show of his frustration.

"I'm sorry, who is...?" Tina began as she shook her head between them, folding her own arms this time. Her tone, completely shifted from her earlier gentle one, caused Selthris to raise his silvery eyebrows at her, surprised.

"Um, sorry," he apologised for the second time, shaking his head before introducing the pair. "Sevrenna, Tina, Tina this is Sevrenna," he gestured between them. The black-haired Swordmaster in question merely glowered at the pair, seemingly forever grumpy. When Tina stared back at him in an annoyed frown of her own, Selthris double-took in her direction. "She's the one that helped us when Sohantha attacked." He informed her quickly in a light shrug, shaking his head dismissively.

"Um... right," the Pegasus Knight murmured as she turned her eyes back down on the similarly hard-faced woman. "I'm sorry _why_ is she on her way to _you_ room?" She questioned angrily, turning her fast-growing ire on him. His brow furrowing at her quizzically he raised an eyebrow, unable to sense her unstated intentions in her words.

"There's no space left...?" He attempted to reason with her in an open-mouthed, frowning shrug.

Her low glower grew even worse when she darted it down on the similarly grimacing Sevrenna. The ebony haired Swordmaster merely raised a curious eyebrow back up at her in response. The woman's flippant, wordless reply seemed to push the Pegasus Knight over the edge and she almost immediately turned to storm down the rest of the steps toward the foyer. Even as she pushed past the scowling and curious-faced Sevrenna Selthris took a few steps to catch her, arm outstretched.

"Tina," he called out simply in his brow-furrowed frown before narrowing his eyes after her. "Tina!" He repeated, loudly this time. His voice bounced off the walls of the castle's insides harmlessly as she stormed off on her lonesome. "Not _again..._ " The Lord lamented in frustration, pulling his arm back before turning his silver eye on the scowling woman standing next to him.

"Girlfriend?" She suddenly probed him, hard-frowning and all in her folded armed expression. Selthris double-took for the second time that day, surprised at her inquisitive and forward nature.

"N-No I-" He began as he revolved his head back around to stare after the walking Pegasus Knight. "I don't even know anymore." The young swordsman sighed, shutting his eyes temporarily in a show of his fatigue.

"Hmph," she merely grunted back in response as she swivelled around to trace his stare before swiftly twisting her head to scowl back at him. "I want a word with you when you're free."

The Lord re-opened his eyes to face her and frowned back at her before nodding lightly. "Go introduce yourself to Leo."

"Who the hell is Leo?"

"You'll _know_ him when you _see_ him," the young king began in a loud exclamation, scowling this time in a show of his growing anger. She growled angrily and similarly back at him, clearly not amused. "Last door on the right." He muttered over his shoulder before stepping down the stairs. She watched him leave with her solid scowl still attached to her face as always before swivelling 'round to head off, presumably for their room.

Selthris threw around the notion of following after the enraged Tina as he placed his hands inside his pockets, stepping down into the castle foyer. Opting to shake his spiky-haired head however he could only frown, the swallowing despair from that interaction dredging his very soul.

–

 _ **3**_

"Now... please place your country's proof on the table." King Alaric began as he walked into the staff room he was utilising for the meeting place.

His arms were joined behind him in his usual business-like frown, sauntering toward the gathered five. Selthris watched him from the left side of the table, standing next to the unnamed black-haired woman on his right. On his left stood the frowning Salnarra, her arms folded and on _her_ left stood the similar faced Jenice Sohantha of the empire, impeccably dressed as always. His silvery eyes narrowed at her suspiciously; she opted not to let her aimless gaze wander, as if uncaring. Selthris did as he was asked however and placed the necklace he once wore three years ago, the Fire Emblem itself, on the crescent shaped table. The three women around him placed their own items down in response, allowing king Alaric to walk over toward the seat in the centre of the room, overlooking the other four.

"Good," he began lowly as he frowned at their curious eyes. "In this meeting... _I_ shall be your invigilator," Alaric explained briefly before placing his coat across the chair he was about to use. Gesturing down to his own table, he frowned at the four. "Please, take a seat," he spoke softly and they listened, their chairs squeaking as they pulled them out. Selthris let his left arm rest on the table aimlessly, his right elbow also on the surface, bent upwards. He turned his hard staring frown on the empress a few seats across from him, intently waiting. "Now," Alaric spoke once more before pulling out his own chair and taking a seat himself. "Let's begin..."


	4. Declaration of War

**Chapter 3: Declaration of War; Sohantha's Bold Claim!**

 _ **Five Kingdom Summit Arc**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"Morale Fades" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Scene **2** (First Half)._

* * *

 _For the second time in their lives, the Aselian unit of the Vikeruce militia have touched the pure white snow of Etherthien. At king Alaric's very request, they have travelled across their own land and theirs to reach their snowy hills and mountainous range; perhaps hoping to prevent or even stall the looming threat of war. The first emergency meeting of the five kingdoms over twenty years, it is indeed a landmark of the continent of Dracolius._

 _Though unfortunate circumstances surround them, Selthris and his many in his Aselian force are reunited with old friends from the Etherthien military. Revealed also to have been following their footsteps since Aselia itself, the mysterious swords-woman Sevrenna proves her tracking skills and manages to wangle an invitation to their forces due to nationality. Though she is cold to the group's reception, Selthris allows her entry anyway for her conviction against Sohanthian forces._

 _In his growing concern of the unorthodox empress of Sohantha however, Selthris' worries are only magnified when he eventually meets with the woman once more for the first time in three years. He anxiously waits for the neutral invigilator and the initial caller of this meeting, king Alaric, to call the meeting to order..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

"Now... who would like to begin?" King Alaric offered to the floor as he turned his inviting smile on the group of four country rulers ahead. They all exchanged similarly unsure and curious looks together as they listened, unwilling to participate. "Surely _one_ of you can-"

"I'd like to start us off by asking empress Sohantha a question," Salnarra spoke up from her folded armed seat, frowning back at the older king. Alaric raised his eyebrows curiously and gestured for her to continue. Coremond's leader and elder swivelled a growing hard-look on her face toward the sitting and similarly frowning Jenice. "Why the sudden interest in targeting smaller nations?" She questioned interrogatively. As Selthris listened, he opted to remain silent, threading his fingers together on the table, watching. Jenice turned her eyes in the Coremondian's direction before upturning the frown on her face to a low smirk.

"Interest? I have no _interest,_ " the well-dressed empress chuckled derisively as she leaned back in her chair, somehow looking down on the older woman. "What should _I_ care if a small unit of mine takes a disliking to Aselia?" She stated flippantly, briefly turning to mix her smirking gaze with Selthris' own furious one.

He still opted to stay silent however.

"Empress Sohantha, _please_ do not treat any of us like this," the black haired woman on Selthris' right suddenly opened up with. She wore the regal colours of Naerith; hot ebony and cold crimson together, Selthris recognised them easily. "It is insulting." She spoke up for her other two comrades before exchanging a small but wordless smile with the frowning and listening Selthris.

"Indeed," King Alaric agreed with his equal junior, nodding. "Empress Sohantha, please behave as if you were in your own country; this is a meeting I have called in the hope of _ending_ hostilities, not brewing them." He explained briefly but firmly as he joined his own fingers together, elbows bent on his own table. Jenice turned to frown at him, rolling her eyes but seemingly acquiescing to his request regardless.

"Queen Theffania, you're surprisingly direct," Salnarra threw over to her right, two seats next to her. The raven haired woman in response turned her eyes over to blink curiously at her elder, visibly inquisitive. "I wouldn't have pegged you for a public speaker so quickly."

"Well, one must grow accustomed to this calling very quickly," Theffania of Naerith smiled back at the older woman gratefully. Salnarra chuckled good-naturedly in response, nodding in quiet agreement. "Especially if not used to it."

"True enough." Salnarra grinned in assenting.

"King of Aselia," Alaric tossed in with a firm frown; Selthris swung his eyes and his head half-way 'round to face his god-uncle, also frowning. "You are very quiet; please don't hesitate to join the conversation." He advised in a softer tone this time, nodding toward the younger man.

"Yes, Aselian king," Empress Jenice threw in, a sarcastic tone on her tanned lips. As she watched him, a hungry grin on her face,.Selthris' own silver eyes darted in her direction, his frown soon morphing to a glower. " _Please,_ join in."

The pair stared silently at one another for an uneventful second or two, the tension in the air palpable.

"I'm lucky that you can still all _call_ me by that name," the young Lord intoned out slowly as he glared over at the attractive older woman. "After that ruthless attack nary but _days_ ago."

"An _attack?_ " Jenice repeated, eyebrows lifting skyward. "Surely not?" She gasped melodramatically, further goading on the youth.

Selthris' scowl twitched as he listened, his fury growing by every minute she spoke to him like that.

* * *

"I ain't diggin' that chick," Leo warned in a show of his own fast-growing anger, arms folded. He stood on the circular rafters of the meeting room, leaning on the post and overlooking the meeting below. Reserved for the two bodyguards of each attendee, they spent the time in watching them, waiting to protect their commander should trouble arise. "She's clearly out for herself."

"She definitely gives off that impression," Edgar frowned lowly next to him, his two hands gripping the wooden post. "Doesn't seem too reliable."

"Reliable?" Gorlin snorted in a mirthless chuckle, frowning as he did. "That woman's many things but reliable _definitely_ ain't one of 'em."

"Quieten your tongues!" A voice interrupted them; the four men snapped up their eyes to find a woman, folded armed and glaring back at them. Wearing the clear amber armour of Sohantha, it was obvious she was one of the empress' bodyguards. She turned her nose up at the two pairs, her ponytail of blonde hair flitting from her shoulder to her back. "Sacrilegious _dogs_." The unknown Halberdier cursed as she narrowed her eyes at them as if she were looking down on an insect.

"Aw shut the f-" Bernhard from Gorlin's side threw in with, an angry tone on his words. Gorlin's eyes widened as he nudged the grunting and similarly folded armed Nomad Trooper to interrupt him. The nameless Halberdier of Sohantha merely raised an eyebrow at them before turning to exchange a wordless frown with her ally, another Halberdier, this one a man.

 ** _2_**

"There is no need to be so indirect and passive-aggressive, empress Sohantha," King Alaric claimed in through his own threaded-finger frown. The empress in question turned to eye him with a low look of her own, as if displeased. "Please speak to us as you would your countrymen."

"I do not _speak_ to my countrymen," the older, attractive woman smirked over at the snow nation's king. "I agreed to come here under only _one_ reasoning."

"And what is _that?_ " Selthris shot back as he turned his firm-eyed glare on her, listening intently. She turned her porcelain smirk on the contrastingly scowling Selthris before replying to him.

"To declare war," the empire's ruthless ruler stated, glaring over at the youth as she spoke. Her smile soon vanished, only to be replaced with a similarly confrontational frown. Selthris' eyes narrowed even slimmer, if that were possible. "You _still_ possess our country's holy relic, the Fire Emblem," she explained briefly as her eyes lightly flitted over to the sitting necklace lying on the table in front of him. Selthris turned his own silvery eyes down on the fire gem jewellery before swiftly facing her once again. "Not _once_ have you attempted to return it to us; the rightful owners."

"You're opening war hostilities because of a gem that _you_ sent to _me?_ " Selthris recanted, his eyebrows lifting up as he leaned forward, veritably surprised.

"That's _outrageous!_ " Theffania exclaimed suddenly, turning her appalled frown on the older woman. "You can't _use_ that as an excuse to invade another country!"

"Do not even _attempt_ to speak to _me,_ Naerith _worm,_ " the empire's leader shot back, her tone full of venom. Theffania reeled back in shock, visibly hurt from the older woman's words. "After Sathryon's son had his way with you I don't see you as a visible _threat_ anymore." Jenice let out a husky, low chuckle, derisive and all. Selthris, Salnarra, Theffania _and_ Alaric turned their ire-growing glares on her, their trust faltering.

"Empress Sohantha." Salnarra began lowly, her arms still folded. Jenice turned her limpid eyes up to face her, smiling mockingly.

"Yes, dog of Coremond?"

Though the older woman's frown twitched as she listened, she continued. "The Fire Emblem is an aged relic; as old as the fabled stories of the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide," she began elaborating, her arms still folded solidly. "If you had done your research... then you would have learned that the Fire Emblem belongs to the Vikeruce clan throughout history," Salnarra clarified, drawing surprised frowns and risen eyebrows from the listening Alaric and Theffania. Selthris however, already knowing this, merely turned his eyes from Salnarra to Jenice in his silence. "So _you..._ my friend, are wrong." Coremond's elder ended in a low smirk of her own. When she turned to exchange a look with the frowning Selthris, he couldn't help turn his frown into a low grin to match hers, resisting the urge to high five her.

"Do not _mock_ me, mutt of the plains," Jenice growled dangerously, her tone suggesting a growing anger. "Aselia was once a mere fraction of the empire; that artefact _belongs_ to us."

"I must side with elder Coremond on this, empress Sohantha," Alaric threw in softly but firmly enough that she looked over to scowl at him. "If the Fire Emblem belongs to the Vikeruce clan then the Vikeruce clan it stays."

"I have the very proof to validate lady Salnarra's words," Selthris said in his own low and soft tone, scowling contrastingly over at the empress. "A chronicling of the Vikeruce clan."

"You have the _book_ as well...?" Jenice hissed lowly, her eyes slitting quiet fury at him.

A kind of uncomfortable silence descended down upon the group of five lords, all staring. Eventually however, Alaric opted to be the one to break it, perhaps in the hope of stabilising the palpable tension in the air.

"Empress Sohantha... please, reconsider your line of thinking," the host nation's king pleaded in his solid frown. "If you still choose to go down this road... you open yourself to attack on all fronts of Dracolius." He warned, frowning hard at the brazen woman.

"You won't be able to just pick on Aselia, empress," Salnarra alerted the younger woman in a firm-frowning glare of her own. "Coremond's forces are old friends of Aselia."

"If hostilities _do_ break out like this then Aselia can also count on Naerith's military," Theffania offered in bravely but not without an angry frown of her own. Surprised by her words, Selthris turned his silvery eye on her briefly as he listened. "I find your mannerisms and ethics questionable at best." The rogue Queen of Naerith proclaimed confidently.

"The rats are gathering...," Jenice couldn't help but laugh derisively at the three, rising her head up haughtily at the three. "No matter how _many_ of you there are... Sohantha _will_ crush you all."

"Are you so certain of that?" Alaric countered just as quickly, leaning his eyes and his head toward the woman on his right. "As you know, we of Etherthien are very close to Aselia in our alliance; you would not only have to deal with the three country's military sitting before you... but you would have to deal with _us_ as well."

"So much for staying neutral...," Jenice snorted angrily over in his direction; Alaric did not rise to her bait. "So! It would be a _world_ war then!" The empress grinned this time as she suddenly swivelled her head back 'round to face the group. "The first of its kind since the days of the great _Sathryon._ " She finished, emphasising the end of her sentence with a giggling grin, directing her words toward the listening and scowling Selthris.

"There is nothing we can say or do to change your mind?" Selthris finally opened his mouth to respond as he reached down and took the necklace by its chain. It gave a light clink as he held it upward for her to examine. "I wouldn't mind giving it to you here, now, if it averts a world war."

Jenice narrowed her eyes and shot her head up haughtily at him in response. "Nothing you can say _or_ do will prevent the justice you so _richly_ deserve, son of Sathryon," she hissed over at him in a hateful tone before suddenly standing to rise up on her feet. As she began to turn her low scowl into a superior smirk, she began to visibly charge up her Aegir on her left arm; seemingly an attack of some kind. "It shall certainly not have been the _first_ kind... hm?" The empress cryptically stated, grinning down at him.

As if reacting to her crackling Quintessence, the super-fast Leo and Edgar shot down from the rafters and stood directly between them, sword and axe drawn simultaneously and instantly. Similarly, the empress' own bodyguard stepped in at her sides alongside Theffania's unknown guards. Gorlin and Bernhard were both the last pair to reappear at their Coremondian leader's sides, similarly reacting to the woman's Aegir infused fist.

"Please!" Alaric began loudly, raising up his left palm to calm them all down. "Peace my friends; I called this meeting to _avoid_ further bloodshed, not to add to it." Etherthien's king claimed honestly and tiredly as he watched the edgy group before him, as if frustrated. The group of warriors stared intensely at one another, their fingers itching for the weapons either sheathed to their scabbards or hanging on their backs. The palpable tension in the air was finally cut by the undaunted empress; her posture unchanged and frowning coolly with her next words.

"Then you should have counted on your forces... shouldn't you have?" The woman breathed over quietly and almost dangerously as she turned her glazed eyes on the sweating king. "Selthris of Aselia," she suddenly and finally addressed as she narrowed her solid eyes on him, gazing with a quiet kind of hatred. Selthris stared back as he stood up from his seat, in between the two battle-ready bodyguards ahead of him. "When we meet again... it will be in a sea of blood and hatred... just like the _rest_ of your repulsive clan." Jenice finished with, raising her head up at him in spite of her seated position.

As Selthris leant his body to the side in his own hard gaze, his furrowed brow hardened as he listened. As if finally reacting to her words, the crackling Aegir shroud around her finally gave off a single and final whoosh before it visibly encompassed them all. Like magic, the three Sohanthian forms before the edgy group thus vanished; an obvious Quintessence technique. Leo and Edgar gasped together, almost simultaneously as they lowered their arms from their still sheathed weapons. Gorlin, Bernhard and the two nameless emissaries of Theffania also reacted in similarly relieved fashions. Finally reacting to her, the group all relaxed their nerves and Etherthien's king stood up from his seat with a defeated sigh.

"I'm sorry, everyone," the older man spoke as he placed his arms at his sides, frowning apologetically at the group of men and women. "I had thought that, if she _had_ responded to my call... that perhaps I could convince her myself."

"It is not your fault," the smiling Theffania replied as she placed her arms together, resting with one another as she faced him. "We of Naerith at least appreciate what you tried to do for us all."

"Can you really spare any effort after the Burning War and what it's cost you?" Salnarra boldly and, perhaps rudely, interjected with as she turned her folded armed frown on the younger woman. "To ally whatever forces you have with the very country that you fought with but three years ago; I can't help but see it as a very rash action." The Coremondian leader claimed as she frowned back at him.

"Lady Salnarra..." Alaric chided over at the older woman as he placed his hands on his tabletop, frowning disapprovingly.

"It is fine," Naerith's new Queen waved the man off with a dismissive chuckle before turning back to face the Coremondians. "Naerith may not be the military power it once was," she began in her light frown before putting on a solid expression on her face. "But when the empire itself calls to attacking a nation for no plausible reason whatsoever... we _have_ to act."

"You're very co-operative for a Naerith woman," Selthris finally spoke out in a furrowed, suspicious frown. "Especially to the man that caused the near death of your country as a whole," he claimed boldly as he turned the rest of his body to face her. The wincing Leo attempted to signal him as if to stop speaking but Selthris did not listen. "I'm shocked you didn't just leave us to deal with Sohantha ourselves." He admitted, half curious and half suspicious as he frowned over at her. Undaunted by his tone and his words, she merely smiled back at him.

"I can't see the justification that Sohantha uses in order to do this, so...," the young Queen began as she advanced forward; her two bodyguards similarly cringed as they attempted to silently warn her on approaching but she, like her speaking partner, did not opt to listen. "If empress Sohantha were to turn her attention over to, say, Naerith instead... how would I feel _then_ if I had denied you any assistant at all?" She stated, this time with a confident smirk, grinning over at him knowingly.

Selthris couldn't help but growing a small grin of his own, nodding in conjunction with her words before outstretching his left fist. As if a ritual of new brotherhood, the pair bumped their clenched fists with one another, similar grins on their faces. The silently watching Alaric and Salnarra also let out lightly surprised but placated smiles of their own, turning to exchange their pacifying expressions.

"So... you are all serious about this then?" Alaric finally opened with as he turned his smile back into his business-like frown. The group of warriors all turned to face their organiser, returning his curious frown with their own. "You will all go through with this?"

"It's threat of pure extinction, Alaric," Salnarra responded with in a matter-of-factly tone, her arms still folded as she did. "We have no choice."

"Yeah!" Gorlin suddenly exclaimed into the scene as he stumbled towards the blinking Selthris on his right before wrapping his larger arm around the smaller Lord in a brother-like fashion. "Can't leave the old boss kid on his own now can we?" The Coremondian swordsman grinned down at him; Selthris couldn't help but shoot back an amused smirk of his own before exchanging a similar fist bump with the old friend's free left hand. Leo and Edgar at his front let out similarly grinning faces as they exchanged them together, silently watching the scene before them.

With a wide growing smile of his own, Alaric moved over from his desk, his hands joined at his back in a show of his old habit. Salnarra nodded at him, as if in knowing; she unfolded her arms and walked over to join the group of men and women. Soon, the association of rulers and warriors were joined together in a quad formation. Their bodyguards took steps back to allow them some room in obedient silence, as if already knowing. King Alaric's smile never left him as he lowered one of his hands down into the middle of the circle of four, as if to be joined with.

"Let this now...," he began in a quiet smile as the similar faced Salnarra first joined his hand with her own, placing on the back of his. "Be the second beginning...," Etherthien's king spoke out as the gracious-expressed Theffania placed her own hand softly on Salnarra's. "Of Dracolius' next four kingdom alliance!" He finished in a low grinning exclamation, his words bouncing off the walls of the staff meeting room as the frowning Selthris finally joined his own hand with his partners'.

Filled with a hype-infused morale, the rulers' bodyguards all called out a battle cry, shooting their fists upward to match their enthusiasm.


	5. Reunions and a Battle

**Chapter 4: Reunions and a Battle; Divide and Conquer!**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Preparation**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"Optic Line" - Warriors Orochi IV OST.** Scene **4** (Second Half onwards)._

* * *

 _In spite of king Etherthien's best efforts, war has broken out. Empress Jenice Sohantha of the empire itself has stated her resolve during the very Five Kingdom Summit that they all had joined. A new found sense of fear instils the group, in spite of how optimistic they are in their new alliance; the sudden appearance of such a powerful military force has not been seen since the olden days._

 _Elder Salnarra of the Coremondian plains, king Alaric of Etherthien's snowy hills and the newly instilled Theffania of the kingdom of Naerith have all opted to join their forces with the second belligerent; king Selthris of Aselia. Though it is not his first time involved in war-like conditions, it is his very first time in dealing with a conflict on such a huge scale._

 _For the poor, young Aselian soldiers under his command however and even Selthris himself... this is the very first time they will deal the horrors of the sheer number that Sohantha command... this will be their first..._

 _World war._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

"So... _you_ are the next Oceiros then?"

Selthris gasped as he turned on his heel to find the smiling queen of Naerith behind him, hands joined at her back. The young Lord put on a wan smile of his own as he turned the rest of his body around to face her. Though her words cut through him as he recognised them, he tried to hide his reaction best he could.

Seemed he was better at it these days.

"That's a name they use in Naerith, isn't it?" The youth smiled back before folding his arms at her. The pair were dressed in a similar battle uniform, coloured identically with subtle differences to indicate their difference in chain of command. Resting on their left arms was, instead, a completely analogous bracelet with a specific symbol. Wrapped around with simple cloth it seemed to be a sign of alliance.

"Yes," Theffania chuckled openly in temporarily shut eyes as she nodded back at him. "It seemed it was the-"

"The commoners, yeah," Selthris answered in his own well-to-do smile, also nodding. Numerous soldiers walked to and fro past them, some stopping to either bow in respect to the pair or follow their units in the camp they were stationed at. "My father had...," Selthris began again as he lowered his eyes and lost his amiable expression to a thoughtful frown. "A hell of a reputation." The Lord finished, this time with his smile returning to him as he shot his silvery eyes back up to the well-natured queen.

"He did at that," she answered in an amiable laugh of her own. "I don't remember much of it myself; I was only very young."

"So was I, really," the Lord agreed with, this time in his business-like frown. "It's not the first time I've been called by that name though."

"Oh?"

He nodded in a grave frown. "There was a woman in the Naerith army three years ago; she called me by that name."

"Was this in... Vonnorburd?"

"Yeah, it was, how do you-?"

Theffania's own smile returned to her as she leant her head to the side. "Sathryon Vikeruce has quite the reputation down there; even _against_ us it would seem he saved many villages from attack in that region."

Surprised by knowledge he did not possess, Selthris' silvery eyes narrowed back at the younger noble. "Really?"

She nodded. "So the tales go," she claimed before continuing. "Your enemy may have been one of those people, or perhaps the daughter of one of them."

Selthris allowed his eyes to wander away once more, his thoughtful frown returning to him. Whenever he thought of his father, he almost rarely thought of him as a good person.

He was genuinely surprised to hear this.

"You seem shocked," Theffania laughed at him good-naturedly, drawing him out with a surprised blinking gasp. "His reputation is well known."

"As the world's greatest soldier; I know," Selthris chuckled back, his amiable nature recovering. "I wouldn't say I'm the next 'Oceiros' though," he grinned this time as he shook his spiky silvery head back at her. She turned her head curiously at him but allowed him to continue. "There are some things that just can't be surpassed." He answered, this time with a hard and serious frown on his face. The queen's own smile was lost to her as she merely nodded sombrely in response, a mix of respect and confusion.

"Sel," a voice gently interrupted the pair; they turned to find the frowning Leo staring back at them, one hand on his hip. He nudged his head back the way he came, the similarly mellow snowflakes joining his dark-brown hair as he did so. "We're ready for you now."

Selthris merely nodded back in response to his loyal Mercenary companion before exchanging his affable light nod with the listening queen; Theffania put on a light smile instead as she responded similarly before following quietly, her boots crunching against the growing snow beneath them.

* * *

"No, thank you; I'm fine," Alaric smiled politely, waving off the indigo armoured soldier. He raised his similarly shaded helmeted head up as he caught the approaching frowning Selthris, the smiling Leo and Theffania in tow. "Ah, come, come!" Etherthien's amiable king smiled as he stood up from his seat on the meeting table.

Though Leo nodded in his friendly smile to the group, he turned to leave the tent to the group of nobles and officers. Inspired to join the man from his words, Selthris exchanged a simple nod with the listening Theffania before walking toward the group of officers before them. Selthris double-took when he saw some familiar faces however for the first time in a long time. Alaric seemed to notice and couldn't help but smirk in growing amusement.

"Young Selthris, please allow me to re-introduce you to some old faces-"

"I'm not _that_ old, you snake," the old woman sitting across from him shot over indignantly but with the hint of a smile on her face. She wore simple indigo coloured robes and her long greying hair came down in curls as she stood up from her seat. The man at her side, long and scruffy haired couldn't help but chuckle next to her, his arms folded as he joined her. "Young master; it is lovely to see you again." The old Alchemist smirked as she bent down in respect toward him. Selthris laughed affably in response before shaking his head and walking in for a greeting embrace. Surprised, the old woman's eyebrows lifted as she took him in a hug. As he knocked her back affectionately he pulled back and nodded at her in his own show of respect.

"It's nice to see you too Ariella," he greeted in his low grin before turning up to walk toward the similarly smiling bodyguard next to her. He raised up his gloved fist and, as if knowing his intentions, the older man used his own hand to smack into the young Lord's. The pair drew one another in for a brotherly handshake and embrace. "You too, Norman." Selthris smiled up at the taller man. Norman merely grinned back as he nodded down at him. Selthris however double-took when he saw the outline of a shadow leaning on the tent wall ahead of him. Widening his eyes in further recognition he couldn't help but exchange his grin with the silently nodding Alaric, allowing him further time.

The young Lord walked forward to join the leaning person before eliciting a similar action to his earlier comrade; the two slapped hands together in a brotherly show of affection before pulling back from their embrace. Selthris couldn't help but grin back at the taller warrior, a mask on their face.

"Don't you ever change Hawke?" The Lord grinned up at her; though he could not see her smile back at him she chuckled behind her peculiar mask.

Hawke nodded her head upwards at him, as if indicating something. "I could say the same for you but you got taller, didn't you?"

"So everyone's been telling me." Selthris responded, folding his arms back at her in his own friendly smirk.

"Come now, come now!" King Alaric amiably called over with his own smile, drawing the pair's attention. "We have one more introduction to make," he explained briefly with a smile, gesturing towards the smiling young woman at his side. Selthris lost his smile briefly when he turned to frown at the pair before regaining a lighter version of it, turning to walk over to them. "Lord Selthris, Astrid Ruan of the Etherthien central army." The king smiled as he gestured once more towards the young woman at his side. Selthris nodded in response before raising up his left gloved hand to take hers in his; a simple handshake. Though she carried a book with her similarly indigo shaded robes she shook her blonde head at him in her smile.

"The pleasure is mine, I'm sure," the young Advisor smiled at him. "It is nice to meet the man I have heard so much of!"

"Careful with that," Selthris shot back in a challenging, well-natured grin, folding his arms as he did so. "I'm still barely the man my father ever was; you could even be _older_ than me."

Astrid laughed back at him. "Well at least you can successfully laugh at yourself." The strategist grinned over at him, drawing listening grins and similar laughs from the group.

"No, let me in!"

The group of nobles and warriors, surprised, turned their eyes and their heads to the entrance of the tent just in time to find it forcibly opened; stumbling inside was the angry form of the black haired Sevrenna. Her ponytail flailed wildly as she struggled in the grip of the grunting Leo, seemingly attempting to hold her back. Finally breaking through with an audible grunt of effort she sent her unlocked arms to her side in her grunt as she turned to glare back at the sighing Mercenary behind him before swivelling her narrow-eyed glare on the surprised Aselian king.

Oh no, he thought in a worrying wince.

"I'm sorry Sel, she just-"

"I want _answers_ ,that's what I want!" The angry Swordmaster blared over at the group, her words obviously directed towards the cringing Aselian noble.

Alaric let out a pacifying chuckle as he raised his hands up at her; a friendly gesture. "Come now lady Sevrenna can't we just-?"

"I _said_ I want-"

"It's fine," Selthris interrupted her softly, shutting his eyes as he shook his head at her. She widened her eyes in response, as if surprised by his sudden reaction. "Sevrenna I'll be with you as soon as I humanly possibly can, okay?" The Lord called over in a business-like frown, placing an arm on his hip. "Would you like to wait here if that makes you feel any better?"

The Swordmaster looked pensive for a few moments as she stared back at him before finally unfolding her arms and nodding, averting her eyesight from him. Selthris put on a forced smile before nodding upwards silently in his regained frown at the listening Leo. The Mercenary merely nodded back at him before pulling the growling woman to the side, as if her escort of all things.

Good Narga, he thought to himself as he turned back to the meeting table with an audible but quiet sigh, eyebrows lifting as he did.

"Now, shall we begin?" Salnarra called over at the frowning Selthris; he turned to face her and nodded in response, walking over with the Naerith queen behind him. Taking a seat across from his Coremondian elder, he placed his hands on the table expectantly. Theffania took her seat next to the folded armed Salnarra and the group all turned to face the smiling Alaric.

"All right...," Etherthien's king began lowly as he stood up from his chair and nodded down next the similarly smiling Astrid on his right. She walked over and placed down a large continental map. Selthris' silvery eyes darted across it and he found many landmarks he recognised; obviously a Dracolius map, he thought. "With lady Astrid at our sides we have little to fear."

"But fear we must," the Advisor chided very lightly in response, this time with a frown. Alaric's own amiable expression was lost to him but only briefly; he nodded obediently in understanding before she even continued. "This _is_ the empire we're all dealing with, after all."

"Well said..." Salnarra murmured lowly as she turned her vision down on the map.

"Now before we actually begin any kind of advance we _must_ decide on squad leaders," Astrid replied as she placed her robed hands down on the table to exchange looks with each of the country's rulers as well as the listening Ariella, Hawke and Norman. "This will be a test of attrition and we will need squads in which to deal with it all."

"What way shall we be dividing this?" Alaric questioned from his standing position before lowering himself back to his seat, arms of his own folding. Astrid turned her eyes across each member of the alliance before responding.

"First thing's first," Ariella spoke up in her own reply, folding her own robed arms at the group. "Who shall be commanding the medical team?"

"I had thought of no-one better than _you,_ Ariella," Astrid shot back with a rising eyebrow, smirking with her words. With the least amount of surprise, Ariella put on her own low smirk as she listened. "I figured with your kind of potion and science knowledge... you'd be an excellent mentor for our young medics."

"I'll back that," Selthris spoke up from his position, frowning over at the old Alchemist. "Ariella's saved my life more than once." He admitted honestly. Finally surprised, the old woman's eyebrows lightly lifted before she shot her confident smirk over at him, nodding gratefully. Astrid nodded, his approval given. She turned to the listening Alaric and, needing no words from him, she received a simple smiling assenting nod. The frowning Salnarra and smiling Theffania both nodded alongside him, contrastingly different expressions upon their face.

"Excellent," Astrid smiled gratefully, the matter swiftly dealt with. "We can form members from our forces as soon as possible. Now..."

"We'll need an ambush squad I imagine?" Salnarra called over quietly as she turned her folded armed frown up at the Advisor. Astrid looked up from her open book on the table with a single blink before smiling back and nodding.

"Quite so; the more damage we do with them to Sohantha's forces, the better," she claimed in her assertion. "Does anyone have any suggestions on who the leader should be?"

"I know Sohantha!"

The group all turned their eyes 'round to a corner of the tent. Struggling in the top right was the growling Sevrenna, attempting to look over the shoulder of the grunting Leo. Selthris rolled his silvery eyes as he listened, his own patience lessening at the lack of hers.

"You... know Sohantha?" Alaric repeated as he turned his head around to face her, quipping a questionable eyebrow upward. "Please elaborate?"

Finally given the go ahead, Leo allowed himself to stand to the side to allow her room. The angry Swordmaster gave him an annoyed scowl before turning her eyes to face the king.

"Yeah; I've been all over the damn place!" She exclaimed over at him rudely as she advanced forward to join the group. Selthris turned his eye away from her, growing embarrassed by the second. "I _know_ a lot of places around there!"

Alaric turned his quizzical frown on the shrugging Salnarra and frowning Theffania before exchanging his look with the brow-furrowed Astrid.

"Astrid?" He called up at her on his right, shrugging. "There _may_ be legitimacy to her claims."

"Yeah...," the Advisor frowned over at the woman on her left. She snapped her blonde head over to the sweating and silent Selthris on her right. He winced as she faced him, unfortunately hoping to have been avoided. "Lord Selthris can you back what she's said?"

"We... don't know one another," the young Lord admitted as he turned his frown up slowly to face the pair. Sevrenna's own firm frown very soon turned to anger as she listened; a heated scowl on her features. "Not personally anyway; she helped us when Sohantha invaded at the capital and followed us to Etherthien if you remember." The young man explained further as he nodded over at the similarly agreeing king.

"All right...," Astrid nodded in knowledge before turning back up to face the scowling Sevrenna with her frown. "We'll definitely consider you for the post," the Advisor smiled over at the Swordmaster. Unfortunately for them however, the black haired fox merely growled back at them, almost as if in suspicion before turning swiftly on her heel to leave the tent. "Is she... all right?" The young woman asked in honest concern, raising an eyebrow down at the frowning Selthris. The Lord sighed, shutting his eyes briefly as he shook his head in response.

"Narga only knows." He claimed comically, drawing a listening grin from the women ahead of him.

"If what she's saying is true though, it _does_ put her in good stead as a scout in this ambush squad of ours." Salnarra spoke up in favour for her.

Theffania smiled next to her as she leant in. "She's a little rough around the edges but I think she may be a good fit, at least for the team itself."

"What happens when she cannot work with the team however?" Alaric spoke against her with a frown, raising his brown eyebrow up as he did so.

"She found it hard to choose between friend and foe in that battle I mentioned," Selthris agreed lightly as he turned his eyes downward in quiet remembrance. "We nearly skewered one another."

"So I'm the tiebreaker am I?" Astrid chuckled good-naturedly as she grinned over at the nobles before nodding. "I can play it safe but how about we compromise? Use her knowledge as a key member of the ambush squad but make someone else leader?"

"I think that's fair." Salnarra smiled this time in nodding. Theffania's own assenting smiling nod made the strategist turned to face the other two.

"It may help her in working with others," the snowy nation's king frowned before turning back to face the young blonde and nodding with the others. "I'm in agreement."

Faced with three-to-one, Selthris merely nodded in his frown, eyebrows lifting briefly as he did so.

"Good! Then let's decide on a leader..."

–

 _ **2**_

"General Apheia, sir!"

The woman in question turned her head around to face the nameless soldier, dressed head-to-toe in amber armour. She frowned hard back at him and raised a curious eyebrow upward.

"Yes?" She pressed him and he saluted her once more in a sign of respect.

"Our forces on standby await your instructions, sir!" He exclaimed once more. She merely waved him off with a lightly miffed frown on her face.

"Fine; who is in command here?" Apheia questioned as she folded her arms forward at the frowning soldier. He gripped his iron lance tightly in his hands before nodding back at her and answering.

"Lieutenant Talia, sir!" The man exclaimed once more before placing his weapon down into the ground with a noisy crunch, the snow making a small hole. "I'll take you to her!"

The Halberdier general frowned in her own nod before placing her arms at her side as she followed the man. As they entered the said woman's tent, general Apheia found herself staring down haughtily at the much younger woman below her. Dressed in a similar amber coloured garb to her comrades, the robe she wore was polished with a drawing of a long lightning thunderbolt across her side of her dress. She wore fingerless rubber gloves and her long blonde hair was put up in a ponytail, perhaps to avoid a mess. She looked up from the book on the table she sat at, blinking past her side-shed of straw coloured hair. The young woman let out a beaming smile as she stood up from her seat, knocking it the ground with a clumsy wince. She turned to meet the unimpressed Apheia with a zig-zag like smile on her face, leaning forward as she outstretched her hand.

"You must be general Apheia!" The young woman smiled as she bowed forward in respect after taking her hand in hers to shake with. "I'm Lieutenant Talia, sir!" She greeted in her amiable smile. "First class Thunder Mage!"

"Hmph," Apheia frowned back at her, folding her arms up at the younger woman. "The empress put _you_ in charge of defending Estrium?"

"U-Um, y-yes," Talia stammered back in response, taken off guard by Apheia's stabbing tone of voice. "My unit often work well together and-"

"I am afraid we will need much more than just your _teamwork,_ Lieutenant Talia; an entire alliance of the four nations await us on the battlefield," the woman rudely interrupted. Talia winced as she listened, turning her eye back up as she listened. "However...," Apheia sighed this time as she lowered her head and shut her eyes very briefly. They snapped back open as she shot her head up. "My orders are to follow yours," she informed very briefly as she lowered her arms to her sides and bowed in polite respect. "My men are yours, Lieutenant Talia."

"I've-" the blonde Thunder Mage gasped, eyebrows lifting with her widened eyes. "Been put in charge of _your_ forces as well?"

"You're moving up in the world, Lieutenant Talia," Apheia claimed as she re-folded her arms down at the younger woman, growing a small smirk to her words. Unsure how to respond, the frazzled Thunder Mage winced as she turned back to her book, as if to look for the answers. "Please let me know when you have settled on a successful strategy and would like to advance our men forward." The Halberdier smiled this time as she turned her head around half-way to face her. The young blonde blinked up at her before nodding in a light smile of her own.

"Y-Yes sir!" Talia finished with a nod in her light sweating smile. The soldier accompanying the general left with her and, as Apheia crunched her boots into the snow beneath her, she regained her low confident smirk.

"I hope you don't mind me saying, general sir but...," the nameless soldier began as he turned his eye up to her on his left. "You seemed to handle that very well."

"Of _course_ I did," Apheia shot back down at him as she placed her arms to her side, turning her low smirk down on the soldier. She re-raised her eyes forward in her smirk as she continued. "The way her youthful mind works _now_ she stands no chance, especially if our opponent includes the son of the greatest warrior in the world."

"Is that true?!" The nameless soldier gasped out in shock as he snapped his helmeted head 'round to face the woman. She lost her smirk as she eyed him angrily and silently, urging him to be quiet. He winced but did as he was told.

"Yes," Apheia replied, this time in a quieter tone of voice as she frowned down at him. Her low grin began to grow back as she continued on, as if growing excited. "When empress Sohantha sees _just_ how badly the 'Black Lightning' deals to her troops... she will have no choice but to relinquish command... to _me._ " The Halberdier confidently stated as they walked forward together. Her furrowed brow and confident grin gave all the answer the soldier needed; he nodded in a growing smile of his own.

"Yes sir, general, sir!"

–

 _ **3**_

"All right has everyone got their roles? Everyone agreed?" Astrid spoke once more as she turned on each of the smiling faces on the table ahead of her. When she received simple amiable looks she pulled her hands back to her sides and grabbed the map on the table, rolling it up. "Good! Then go get your teams ready and we'll meet back here in an hour." The Advisor claimed in her own smile as she placed the map inside her robes, grabbing her book as she did so and placing it under her arm before taking off.

"A thumping session!" Alaric smiled widely as he stood up from his seat boisterously, surprising some of the older members there. "I hope to see you all soon!" He threw over his shoulder as he followed the young blonde out into the snow.

"Has he _always_ been... out of touch?" Theffania spoke up from her own seat, a side of her mouth curling upward in the ghost of a grin.

"You have no idea..." Ariella murmured under her breath as she pulled her chair out to stand up herself. Norman stood with her, assisting where he could. Selthris couldn't help but exchange his humoured smile with the listening Theffania before regaining his thoughtful frown.

I could use the time to go introduce myself this time, he thought to himself.

" _Yeah,_ " he thought in a silent nod before pulling his own seat out and pushing it in politely. _"Let's_ _do that."_

Issuing the smiling Salnarra, Ariella, Hawke, Theffania and Norman with a waving salute he headed out the tent entrance himself. The Lord let out a low sigh through his nose as he turned his spiky-haired head to his left. Before he could even see much of anything however he found himself being pulled violently to his right and dead centre was a hateful scowl directed at him. Briefly surprised, his fighting adrenaline found itself coursing through his veins, readying up for a fight before he recognised his attacker's face. Calming his nerves down he lowered his arm from his sword, glaring back at the young woman ahead of him.

Sevrenna.

Forgot all about her, he thought.

"Yes?"

"I wanted a word with you." She began in her low scowl, her eyes darting at the whispering soldiers passing them. She glared at them angrily until they passed before turning her firm look on the blinking Selthris.

"Right," the Lord murmured under his breath as he brought his fingers up to rest on the skin in between his eyes. They shut briefly in a frustrated scrunch as the memory resurfaced. "What is it that's so important?"

"I _need_ to be on the frontlines," the Swordmaster demanded as she narrowed her eyes at him. Selthris raised a curious silvery eyebrow up at her. "What's your answer?"

"I need more of a reason than just 'I need'," Selthris chuckled this time, softening his expression into a light smile as he did so. "Why do you want to be on the frontlines so badly?"

She turned her nose up at him, as if disgusted somehow. "How can _you_ be the same son of the greatest warrior in the _world?_ " Sevrenna muttered over at him and he lost his amiable smile. Though his frown returned to his face it was still in a soft expression. "You were the one that didn't want to finish the general at the capital aren't you?"

"Yeah, I was," Selthris said in his tired-eye frown. "What of it?"

"You're supposed to my country's _leader!_ " She hissed back at him as she leaned toward him. "Does Sathryon's lineage mean _nothing_ to you?!"

Selthris' eyes lowered and he couldn't help but turn them away from her. As he remained wordless for a very few brief seconds however, he turned his eyes back onto her before growing a small smile on his face. "You didn't answer my question."

"Rgh!" The Swordmaster growled back as she pulled her scowling face away from his. "I want to be on the frontlines to deal as _much_ damage to those fucking _bastards_ as I can!" She exclaimed this time, her voice much louder than before. Her blood and her temper seemed to have raised with it and Selthris recognised it in his well-natured smile.

"All right I'll tell you what; you settle that temper of yours and I'll consider it," the Lord compromised, rising an eyebrow up at her as he did so. Though her scowl twitched at him angrily she snapped her eyes and her head away from his. Selthris' eyebrow lowered back to its normal position and he smiled once more. "All right, good talk." The young man smiled as he gently knocked the similar height woman across her left shoulder as he passed her. She turned to glare at him wordlessly, watching him leave.

"Lord Selthris, sir!" An indigo armoured soldier greeted, saluting the youth off as he passed. Selthris nodded back at the man in his wan smile before regaining his sighing frown as he re-faced the front, marching forward.

What a day, he thought.

And it's only just begun.

Throwing his negative thoughts to the cold wind in the air however, the young Lord turned to his right and raised his eyebrow at the sight before him. Sitting in a corner overlooking the main camp-site was a smiling young man, armoured hand outstretched upwards to a large mount growling above him. His long black hair was mostly hidden underneath his indigo helmet, yet came rising up from the helmet itself, almost like a plume. The armour he wore was heavy and not without purpose.

Selthris' silver eyes were drawn over to the huge bright green dragon hovering over him, seemingly almost _smiling_ at him. Selthris' eyebrows rose upward in temporary shock, having been the first time in seeing such a sight since the war years past. Shaking it off however he frowned as he approached the pair. Seemingly hearing the snow crunch between his boots, the armoured young man's head snapped over to him in an inquisitive frown before he regained his smile. The dragon happily took the treats that he seemingly held in his hand.

"You must be one of our commanders!" The armoured man greeted before turning to bow in respect. Selthris chuckled in his own smile as he waved him off dismissively but it was no use. "Lord Selthris of Aselia I presume?"

Selthris nodded sociably before smiling back at the older young man. "I hope you don't think I'm being too forward but-"

"No, not at all!" The black haired knight laughed, similarly sociably in response. "I, sir, am Garrus Foley of the central Etherthien army!" He introduced himself as he bent down on one knee, right arm outstretched over his knee. Selthris waved him off once more, uncomfortable and all. He rose up as expected, his smile still on his face. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No, no!" The Lord chuckled as he shut his eyes briefly and rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I just thought it'd do me some good to introduce myself to all the members of each team."

"That's... refreshingly different!" Garrus called out in a sudden, surprised frown, his eyebrows lifting to match. "Well... it is certainly nice to meet you."

"Likewise," the Lord smiled back in his nod. "So ah... who's your friend?" The youth smiled as he nodded up at the snorting green dragon above them. Double-taking in its direction, Garrus couldn't help but laugh nervously in a show of his own anxiousness.

"I'm sorry, please, say hello to Sophie!" The armoured man smiled as he gestured toward the frowning creature. It turned to watch the uncomfortable young Lord with narrowed eyes, as if judging him somehow. Selthris kept the smile on his face and fought all attempt to run.

"H-Hello Sophie...," Selthris greeted as he bowed his head in respect, his smile almost turning to a worried frown. "Hope I'm not... intruding?"

"No, not at all," Garrus set the younger man at ease as he briefly smiled in his direction before re-raising up his hand to gift the happy creature with more treats. "It was just treat time is all!"

"Treat time...," Selthris murmured as he watched the baked goods swiftly disappear from his armoured hands. "That's really something; you baked all those?"

"Yep!" The Dragon Rider beamed once more in the youth's direction. "Sophie likes these only a certain way; it took me _years_ to perfect them."

"I wish _I_ could say I had cooking experience; too many years fighting." Selthris smiled back wanly in sombre thought.

"It's not hard once you keep at it, really," Garrus replied in his positive grin. "It's a good skill to have."

Selthris couldn't help but grin back lightly in response to the Dragon Rider's enthusiastic words.

It _would_ be a good skill to have, he thought.

" _Wouldn't it?"_

* * *

"All right, divide our forces to assist with the defence in Ostria and Stasia!" The Halberdier commander called out as he wiped his arm horizontally across the air; an order of his own. Talia stood directly next to him in a light wince as she attempted to lean in to give her own opinion.

"Sir don't you think that might be a bit-"

"Quiet!" The man called over angrily, snapping his eyes back on the cringing Thunder Mage. He turned his head back forward and glared onwards. "We need to assist our allies! The more allies we have then the more chance we have at winning this war!" He exclaimed before taking a few steps forward, his armour clinking with him. Talia was left to mull over his words and frowned after him as he did so.

"But what happens when you spread a paste so thin it can't cover _anything_ you intend it to...?" The Thunder Mage murmured under her breath as she sighed through her nose. Opening her book she dutifully carried under her arm she quickly went over counter-strategies to best deal with the changes to her plans.

–

 _ **4**_

Selthris narrowed his silvery eyes through the scope he was given. Just as he was told, the number of soldiers seemed to be lessened; divided through to each fortress across from them. He managed to catch sight of a young blonde woman, pacing around the seeming main building, reading a book. Tearing his eyes from it, he exchanged his curious frown with the grinning Astrid on his right. She nodded as he faced her, almost as if reading his thoughts.

"That's incredible," he mouthed down at her, his brow furrowing at her earlier words before re-assessing the battlefield. "You predicted their formations _expertly,_ " the young Vikeruce king managed out in his narrow-eyed frown. He tore his vision away from the battlefield once more to frown back at her confident grin. "How-?"

"Easier than you might think," the Advisor grinned back at him before narrowing her own eyes forward. "Sohantha haven't had the benefit of years of battle experience anymore so any commander they _may_ have now lacks what we all possess," the young blonde stated confidently in her low grin. "If I'm right... there's a strategist in _that_ army that we can steal for ourselves."

Selthris turned the lower side of his silver-stubbled jaw to his right in his acknowledging nod before turning back to trace her eyes. Her words reminded him of Naerith's 'Burning War' and recruiting allies through them.

"Yeah...," Selthris frowned out as he nodded forward. "I like the sound of that."

"Okay!" Astrid grinned as she clapped her hands together in a show of support. "Then how about we proceed? The Ambush Team and Squad One should both be ready."

"Did someone call us?" Hawke's voice interrupted the pair, approaching from behind. Though normally jump-scared very easily, Selthris turned to face her with a frown of his own and nodded in response.

"Same plan as discussed; we hit them with your arrows and then with Squad One's close-range attacks," Selthris explained very briefly in his frown. She nodded in acknowledgement. "Good luck out there."

"I only wish you could join us... to see if you could keep up this time." The confident Sniper spoke through her mask, seemingly in a grin, as she knocked his indigo armoured chest in a brotherly fashion. Selthris couldn't help but grin back at her as she walked off before turning back to face the battlefield with a disappointed frown.

"I know what you're thinking but you _have_ to stay your hand," Astrid advised him from his lower right, her robed arms joined together as she also frowned. Her eyes were drawn up to him, her head still facing the battlefield before her. "You're the reason Sohantha are doing this crusade after all." She reiterated in her frown, drawing a reluctant nod from the younger fighter.

"I know...," he murmured as he frowned forward. "I just don't like sitting doing nothing."

"I like to think of it as staying at the ready, in case anything serious comes up." The Advisor shot back in a growing smile. Selthris turned his raised eyebrow down on her before the two exchanged a similar grin with one another. He couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head, re-raising it face the field before him.

"All right, all units, standby!" Hawke exclaimed as she nocked her personal bow back with an arrow, covered in flame.

Seemingly intensified by her very Aegir itself it crackled and burned like a lit torch would; Sabine next to her frowned as he brought his similarly flaming steel arrow upward, aiming in tandem with her. The huge number of indigo armoured archers behind them joined them in covering her fire with raises of their own bows and arrows.

"Now, fire!" The captain of Squad One called out; like magic, the huge group of soldiers let loose their flaming arrows, all aimed at the wooden fortress on the right, over the hill. As it hit the group of allied soldiers heard the shout of pain far off from the place they shot at; Stasia Fortress was now alight in glorious flame.

"Now, give the order." Astrid smiled from the youth's listening and silent side. Selthris narrowed his eyes down at her before shutting his eyes and raising his left hand upward, his index and forefinger risen with them, as if channelling his own Quintessence.

" _Ambush Squad; now!"_

* * *

Ulric's eyes widened from his position, not far off the next fortress. Though his eyes were immediately drawn to the brightly flaming Fort Stasia, his commander's voice thundering in his mind made him turn to face the similarly defended fortress of Ostria.

"You hear that boss?" Leo called out next to him as he rolled the Hero Sword he carried around his right hand, grinning next to the dismounted Paladin veteran. "It's time!"

"Our first real mission!" Garrus whispered lowly as he gripped his iron battle-axe, frowning forward as he did so. He nodded at his commander, the hard-frowning Ulric.

"Come on, I know this place like the back of my hand," Sevrenna growled out as she twirled her steel sword around her left hand, passing the trio. " _I'll_ lead."

"No you will _not,_ " Ulric called after her; the Swordmaster stopped but not without spinning 'round to glare back at him. "We go when _I_ give the order," he admonished softly but firmly as he nodded down at her. Though her scowl twitched in response she opted not to reply. "Sir Garrus, you may call your mount," the Paladin said, turning his moustache and goatee on the wide-eyed Dragon Rider in question. He smiled appreciatively before bringing his fingers to lips and wheezing out a loud and echoing whistle. "Sir Leo, sir Garrus; same plan as discussed!" He called out loudly this time as he twirled the silver lance he carried. Sevrenna ahead of him turned her narrow-eyed scowl forward at the fortress ahead.

Almost as if responding to their commander's words, Garrus' mount Sophie came shooting down from the sky and the frowning Dragon Rider leapt up neutrally to land on it. Leaving enough room for the grinning Leo to hitch a ride with him the pair shot off into the air like arrows straight from a ballista. Ulric twirled his lance around once more before widening his eyes forward.

"Now!"

Like bullets the pair shot off after the similar duo, the ground spitting up dust and even small rocks from the ferocity of their speed. Sevrenna turned to widen her eyes at him and he double-took in her direction, raising an eyebrow.

"What?!"

"You're just...," the young Swordmaster began as she ran alongside him. He stared at her for a second or two as she spoke, his curiosity piqued. "So _fast_ for an old guy."

The dismounted Paladin couldn't help but grin in response. "I'll take that as a compliment!" He dared to respond with before turning his eyes back forward. He briefly watched the wind-infused Leo leap off Garrus' mount, plummeting down toward a gaggle of surprised soldiers. As he spun down in his air strike, Garrus also supported his attack with a plunging smash of his own; the Dragon Rider mashed his iron battle-axe just a little further ahead into another group of unprepared Sohanthian soldiers.

Finally caught up, Sevrenna let loose a built up battle-cry as she forward flipped in a vertical spinning slash; the poor soldier beneath her roared in pain as he was sent bloody and battered away from her. As the deft Swordmaster landed she growled as she horizontally swiped in a wildly rotating fire-infused slash attack. The yelping Sohanthians were taken aback once more and allowed room for the approaching Ulric to slam his silver lance into the underside of a flying Sohanthian soldier in mid-air. The pair stopped moving together; the soldier staring back at him in widened eyes, lying impaled in the air, Ulric glaring back with narrowed eyes.

Finally however, time seemed to return to its normal flow and he grunted as he ripped the man's grunting body off of his weapon forcefully to his right in a deft spin. Blood flew from the weapon, dotting across the wooden walls of the fortress. As the Paladin turned back 'round to face the recovering Sevrenna however his eyes widened at the sight that lay before him. A hungry-faced Fire Mage stood directly behind her, arm held back presumably for casting. Acting fast, the dismounted Paladin used the wooden walls to leap and bounce off of. Sevrenna watched him, surprised before swiftly snapping her head around behind her, finally adding it all up. Not one to be deterred, she shot up her blade to defend against the incoming attack but, before he could strike true, the similarly grunting Ulric leapt off the wall and smashed his boot against the yelling Fire Mage's face, sending him rolling and flailing into another group of approaching soldiers, tripping them up.

"You still got it cap'n!" Leo laughed out in the old man's direction, spinning his Hero Sword around once more; an old habit.

"I could have handled that _myself._ " Sevrenna claimed hotly, narrowing her eyes at their head-turned commander.

"I politely disagree, young miss," the dismounted older man shot back in his hard frown before suddenly smashing his armoured back-fist into a charging soldier's face, sending him reeling back. He never lost his firm frown as he spun around in a swift roundhouse kick, sending him similarly sailing into the yelling men's bodies. "I would certainly not leave myself open like _that_." He admonished as he turned his hard disapproving frown on the soldiers ahead of him.

"Commander Ulric is right; you _can_ ask us for help y'know." Garrus called over in his warm and amiable smile. The Swordmaster snapped her scowl on him; he was not seemingly affected.

"Yeah, we won't bite," Leo grinned in agreement, drawing a light laugh from the listening Dragon Rider. "I promise."

"Enough yammering young ones! Come help me!" Ulric called over his shoulder as he parried a grunting soldier's stab with a diagonal guard, neutralising his charge. Grabbing the man's own steel lance, he yanked him in before swiftly impaling him with his silver lance before spinning him around the blade quick as he could. The poor Sohanthian could only grunt in pain as he was sent rolling through the air.

Though Leo and Garrus shared a respective grin and smile, the scowling Sevrenna obeyed him regardless and the trio leapt forward to join him.

–

 _ **5**_

"Things don't seem to be going well Major," Talia attempted to reason with her superior as she frowned over at him. "Fort Stasia is alight in flame and I think Ostria may have been breached."

"Quiet, girl!" The Halberdier called out over his shoulder in growing annoyance before turning his helmeted head back forward. "Empress Sohantha may have put your in charge but _I_ have commanded this region for over ten years! I will _not_ hand my men over to one so young and ill prepared for battle!"

"But this is pure _folly!_ " The Thunder Mage exclaimed angrily, her tone different and risen with her frustrated emotions to boot. "The enemy has been _counting_ on this; they know you've worked like this for so long-"

"Enough with you!" The Halberdier suddenly interrupted and with an angry scowl of his own he snapped it 'round on a nearby pair of soldiers. "You there! Put her in the hole!" He ordered hotly; the pair of men exchanged unsure looks but nodded nevertheless, advancing on the gasping young blonde.

"What are you-?!" The Thunder Mage managed to gasp out in widened eyes, taking a few steps back from the men. They threw caution to the wind however and grasped her by her robed arms together, swiftly dragging her off towards the back of the main camp. "No!" She called over as she attempted to struggle in their grip but it was no use. "You're sentencing these men to _die!_ Please, listen to me!" Her words echoed forward, carried by the wind that her commander stood around. The Halberdier narrowed his eyes forward, opting to ignore her for the third time, glaring at the bright flames on Fort Stasia.

"Young fool..." He muttered under his breath.

* * *

" _Sel! It's done!"_

Selthris' silvery eyes re-opened and, as they did, he snapped his head 'round to the curious-faced Astrid on his side. He nodded down at her and her similar frown quickly and immediately switched to a confident grin.

"Just _as_ I expected," she grinned before continuing on. "Send a support squad of soldiers out for them to make sure they're okay." She ordered in her own nod.

He assented in turning to face a group of ready-to-go men and raised his left fist forward; a silent signal. The group of men, joined by the calling Alaric nodded with them as he marched forward to join the squad of alliance soldiers.

"And now-"

"Already on it," Selthris interrupted in his nod as he turned back to face her before re-shutting his eyes and re-raising up his left hand. _"Team Two; now!"_

–

 _ **6**_

"Now's the time boys!" Gorlin called out as he turned to grin at the listening soldiers behind him. All dressed in the similar indigo armour they wore, the grinning Kay joined him at his side. "And girl." The hulking Coremondian corrected himself as he turned his grin down on the similarly expressed blonde young woman at his side. Her ponytail flung about her shoulders wildly as she unsheathed her iron sword, presumably for combat.

"You'll want me up front I presume?" Gerard rumbled as he took a few steps forward, stepping past the blinking Cavalier. Gorlin grinned and nodded upwards at the Armour Knight in assenting.

"Yep, with me," Gorlin nodded in his grin as he turned to face the front; the entrance to the blazing fortress of Ostria. Gorlin cracked his knuckles together with a hungry-faced smirk, setting his broad shoulders to both sides of himself as he did. "We'll give 'em a dose of thunder and lightning to go with the fire."

"Won't that be too much... commander?" Bernhard shot in the conversation with as he stepped lightly around the lightly grinning Kay. He couldn't help the slow growing grin on his own face as their hulking commanding officer nodded in conjunction with him.

"Nah... I think they've had this comin' for _years,_ " the large Nomad Trooper chuckled lowly, narrowing his eyes forward. Pulling his hands back to his sides, he issued a nod with the listening Gerard; the two began to march slowly together, contrasting expressions on them both. Soon however that march escalated into a full-blown sprint; the screams of the burning Sohanthian soldiers filled the air. " _Ain't_ you all?!" The large man exclaimed in a grin as he burst into a group of yelping men, his wind-infused Aegir carrying him along. Gerard let out a wordless but loud grunt as he smashed his steel lance into the ground around a similar group of burning soldiers.

An uninjured Halberdier saw his opportunity however and rushed at the undefended pair, attempting to attack them in their recovery periods. The grinning Kay came shooting by the pair however, thrown by the hard-frowning Bernhard. She laughed as she smashed her knee into the grunting Halberdier's chin, sending him upward. Not even reaching for his sword, Gorlin's grin carried him forward as he sailed his fist straight into the wide-eyed man's face, sending him careering into the blazing and wooden apparatus. Gorlin spun around in place and, as his ally landed, he shared a similarly beaming high-five with her.

"Looks as if there's not much here to clean up after all," Bernhard murmured aloud as he spun his sword around, opting to sheathe it slowly. "Disappointing."

"Can't lose focus," Gerard advised over as he recovered from his own attack, raising up his head as he walked forward to rejoin them. "This is still an important job."

"An _easy_ one!" Kay exclaimed in her own kind of agreement as she grinned forward.

"A little joy never hurt anyone Bern," Gorlin grinned around his shoulder; eliciting a light twitch from the frowning but listening Nomad Trooper. "Don't worry; I'll be the one to tell the boss, hold on."

* * *

" _Yo, boss! We're basically done over here!"_

"That was _fast,_ " Astrid whispered from his side. Selthris gasped as he pulled his head back down from listening in with his Aegir. She grinned at him, noticing the stress on his body. "It's hard to do it without the proper training isn't it?"

He couldn't help but grin back at her in spite of the beads of effort-filled sweat across his forehead. "Yeah... I guess so... so what's the next stage in the strategy?"

"We're almost to finish line... but we just need _one_ more building to take over," the Advisor smiled as she nodded her head forward. Selthris turned his eyes to the frontlines to find the only building with a stone roof. The retreating Sohanthian soldiers had seemingly retreated inside or away from it entirely. Selthris' eyes narrowed at it, like a fisher would his prize.

"I'm ready boss," Edgar's voice cut through the air, forcing the Lord to spin around in facing him. The ever frowning Edgar stood in a leaning position, his large axe resting across his broad armoured shoulders. "Just give the word." He added, eliciting a listening nod from the Lord.

"I just need-"

"Us?"

The youth, surprised again by the inclusion of extra voices, turned to his right to find the grinning and folded armed Leo joined by the rest of the Ambush Squad. Ulric, Garrus, Tina and Sevrenna joined him.

"Impressive," Astrid smiled back at them, noting their speed as she folded her own arms at the group. "Run into any problems?"

"Straight shooting lady Astrid," Ulric respectfully responded with as he bowed his head in similar honour. "We met with little resistance."

"Then it's time," Selthris began in response, turning his frown into a hard scowl, centred on the building ahead of him. "Team Three?" He called over his shoulder as he walked forward a few steps.

Leo's grin never left him as he spun his Hero Sword around to rest on his shoulder, standing next to his closest companion. The contrasting frowning-faced Edgar stood in a similar position to the Lord's right while the similarly frowning Tina and her Pegasus hovered around his direction, gripping her steel lance tightly. Sevrenna walked from the Ambush Squad to join the team on Leo's side, spinning her steel sword around her arm expertly.

"Ready!" Leo whispered in his confident grin. Selthris, turning his hungry silvery eyes forward, narrowed them, and bent forwards to leap upward.

" _Go!_ " He exclaimed and, like a bolt of lightning, the group of five immediately took off, leaving mere dust in their wake. The beaming Astrid was left to marvel at the work of her strategy, now merely in the final phase.

–

 _ **7**_

Even as they approached, the gates were opened, allowing them easy entry. The team of five warriors quickly leapt inside the next and last building only to find it near unpopulated entirely. Selthris' near firm grip grew just a little looser as he stood inside the entrance to the building, his eyes narrowed and darted around the area.

Not a single man to be seen.

"Well that's disappointing," Leo clicked his tongue in further showing of his dissatisfaction. "Not even a single-" He began in a low frown before widening his eyes. Selthris' own eyes also enlarged before shooting over to the Halberdier that suddenly and abruptly appeared to their right.

Just one man.

Also dressed in the firm colour of yellow-amber, he stopped suddenly, narrowing his eyes in a skidding wince as if he had suddenly run down the wrong corridor.

"N-No!" He exclaimed suddenly before turning invariably to leave.

"Sel!" Leo suddenly called out but his commander was ahead even of him; the Lord suddenly disappeared from common view and re-appeared swiftly behind the about-turned Halberdier. He gasped as he stumbled backward, dropping his lance to the ground with a noisy tumble. Selthris glared down at the man; an old expression on his face not used since the Burning War.

"Well... everyone else has already _had_ a chance to fight, but..." Edgar murmured from the back as he shrugged with the many listening crowd.

"I know; you wanna finish this Sel?" Leo called over, a happy grin on his face this time. Selthris looked up from his glare before re-attaching a soft frown on his face.

"No." He suddenly replied with, eliciting surprised looks of confusion from his unit.

"What do you _mean_ no?" Sevrenna exclaimed suddenly as she advanced the on the pair. Selthris re-raised his eyes up to frown back at her in silence, allowing her to stand around them. The gasping Halberdier, fallen on his rear by now could only gasp continually as he darted his tired and fearing eyes across the Aselian swordsmen. "This is _Sohantha!_ This is the enemy!" The Swordmaster yelled out angrily at him. He merely stared back at her in his quiet frown, listening intently. "You're just gonna let him _go?_ "

"I know what he means," Tina's voice from the back came, forcing the entire team to turn their eyes and heads to her. The young teal-haired woman stepped off her neighing Pegasus and walked forward to join them. "There's no sense in killing when you don't need to." She explained briefly and, while she did, the listening Leo let out a proud grin as he nodded over at the frowning Selthris.

"Exactly," the Lord added on with as he turned his silvery-eyed stare on the growling black-haired woman in his unit. He turned his frown down on the fallen Halberdier and nodded his head upward. "Go, before we change our minds." He warned quietly; the man needed no further convincing. Scrambling to his feet he turned and ran for the exit, swiftly disappearing.

"You'll regret letting him go," Sevrenna admonished angrily as she paced away from the Lord, eyes still on him. His eyes snapped over to hers in his quiet frown as she walked. "I almost guarantee it." She warned further before continuing on ahead, her boots knocking against fallen rocks and dirt in the stronghold.

"We still doin' our job boss?" Edgar shot in with in his business-like frown, almost as if the exchange never happened at all. Selthris turned his eyes back on his Axe Fighter comrade and companion and nodded.

"We _are_ at war Ed; we always have a job to do... but yeah, you're right," the Lord answered in his assenting nod, turning back to face the inside of the stronghold. "Time to clear this place out." He ordered as he turned a firmer gaze forward.


	6. The Battle of Brookhead Mountain

**Chapter 5: The Battle of Brookhead Mountain; Seize the Foot of the Mountain!  
**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"In Full Bloom" - Dynasty Warriors IV OST.** Scene **4** and **5.**_

 _ **"In Full Bloom - Trinity Mix" - Warriors Orochi IV OST.** Scene **6** (First Half)._

 _**"Wall Day ~ Great Red Spirit Remix" - Dynasty Warriors Online OST.** Scene **6** (Second Half)._

* * *

 _A proud day for the newly formed Dracolius Alliance; their first victory on the field of battle!_

 _With the brains of Etherthien's young prodigy, the Advisor Astrid, they easily build their first strike at momentum and overwhelm the two fortresses at Ostria and Stasia. Utilising a fire attack with their Ambush Squad and a surprise attack with their close-range specialists, fort Stasia and Ostria are easily felled. Seemingly preying on their inept commander's dividing strategy, Astrid has already proven herself a key member of the alliance._

 _Having not even a chance to sortie like the rest of his comrades, Selthris opts to spare as many retreating Sohanthians as he can. Though he receives mostly condemnation from his new ally Sevrenna, he remains resolute in his new stance of preserving life. In avoiding a fight however he has successfully managed to find and recruit a a new comrade..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

Talia sighed through her nose for what felt like the tenth time that day. She lay on the ground, sitting up, her hands bound in Aegir handcuffs. Not terribly debilitating in any way but it managed to do the job of suppressing her magical abilities and even her own Quintessence. It had been quite a while since she was last fed and she was beginning to wonder when she would be taken to the chopping board.

Steps outside the tent made her snap her long blonde head up, her eyebrows lifting as they did. Voices approached with them and she narrowed her eyes firmly at the tent flap before her, waiting apprehensively. Some more words were exchanged before, finally, the tent flap opened up. The bound Thunder Mage lowered her eyebrows and frowned upward neutrally at the sight before her.

A hard-frowning young man with spiky silver hair, dressed in a peculiar indigo coloured armour with blue outlines stood in next to a young woman around his age. She also wore similarly indigo coloured garbs however hers were robes, indicating a sizeable difference in their jobs. She turned her own blonde-haired head around to her silvery-stubbled comrade and raised a curious eyebrow as she did.

"Is this her?" The young woman asked, drawing a nod from him.

"Yes," he claimed as he raised his arms to fold them, turning his firm-eyed frown down on her. Talia's eyebrows lifted once more but this time in recognition; she remembered seeing him from the hole she was thrown in. "I think she was their strategist in yesterday's battle." The silver-haired swordsman claimed boldly.

"Is that so...?" The intruding blonde woman murmured in a low grin before morphing it into a light smile as she bent down on Talia's level. The Thunder Mage raised a curious eyebrow at her, waiting. "What's your name miss?" She requested inquisitively, a warm and sociable smile to her countenance.

"U-Um Talia."

"Talia," the robe-wearing young woman grinned back, her eyes briefly shut before re-opening them. "I'm Astrid; pleasure to meet you!" The newly introduced Advisor smiled back at her. Unsure of what exactly to say in response, the Thunder Mage could only barely crack a tiny smile in response however briefly, before it went away. "Don't worry about Selthris; he's always grumpy like that." She explained shortly as she exchanged a sudden grin with the blinking silver-haired swordsman's frown. He let out a light grin of his own as he listened. "Your men were expertly positioned in that battle yesterday!"

"Y-You mean-?"

"Yep, in Fort Ostria and Stasia!" The Advisor grinned back at the similar blonde woman. "Right up until the actual battle began." She ended in a shortly eye shut chuckle however, indicating her humour. The sitting Talia could only laugh nervously in response.

"T-Thank you."

"You have an eye for strategy then, huh?" Astrid asked as she raised a curious eyebrow skyward, tilting her head as she did so.

"Um... y-yes," Talia answered in a stammering and nervous nod. "I was given a high rank by the empress herself but..."

"They didn't listen?" Astrid questioned her bizarrely, leaning her head to the side as she did so. Talia nodded as she lowered her head.

"How can I expect an empire to have faith in my brain when _I_ can't even-"

"Stop," Selthris suddenly interrupted with. The two women turned their heads up to find him frowning and folded armed. "The second you start to hesitate... is the second you lose," the Lord advised in his hard frown. "Have faith in yourself; your men _were_ well stationed before we arrived at the scene." He claimed before nodding in his grinning strategist's direction. Talia blinked before turning back to face her.

"T-Truly?"

"Yep!" The indigo robed Advisor grinned happily back at her, briefly shut eyes once more. As she re-opened them however she turned her beam into a warm smile. "You got talent kid!"

Talia's eyes lit up, as if she were at a fair she had been looking forward to all her life.

Feeling good about the mood, Astrid let her grin lead her and continued on.

"How would you say... to joining _our_ side?"

* * *

"You're certainly something," Selthris chuckled lowly as he accompanied his older comrade, his arms still folded. Astrid stretched her arms forward before raising them up, as if to give some movement to her muscles. "I've never seen someone work another that fast before."

"Whaaat?" Astrid shot back in a mock frown, yawning lightly as she did so. "I have _no_ idea what you're talking about." She ended, this time in a growing little grin, as if satisfied.

"Yeah I'll bet," Selthris laughed good-heartedly next to her, briefly grinning over at her before the pair were suddenly stopped in their tracks. He dropped his grin in place of a bewildered frown, blinking forward. The firm-scowling Sevrenna stared back at him. "Sevrenna..." He murmured as he gazed over at the indigo robed Swordmaster. She leant her body to the side in her folded armed scowl and Astrid couldn't help but grin as she watched them.

"You're certainly very popular; I'll leave you two alone," Astrid grinned over her shoulder as she walked off, the snow crunching beneath her heels. "Don't forget; meeting in one hour!"

"No, don't leave...!" The desperate Lord called out after her, eyes widened and arm outstretched forward. He sighed as he turned back to face the unchanged expression on his comrade's face.

Oh joy, he thought to himself.

"Are you free?" She asked over, raising a black eyebrow at him.

"Sure," the Lord responded, this time with a smile as he gestured with his free right hand before placing it on his hip and frowning. "What's wrong _this_ time?"

Her scowl twitched but she continued. "Do you know where my necklace is?" She asked simply. Selthris' eyebrows lifted in pure surprise.

She wore a _necklace?_

He hadn't even noticed.

"On your...?" He trailed off slowly, right fingers above his neck and she rolled her eyes.

"No on my _leg_ ,where else would I wear it?" She snapped back at him in her sarcastic tone. Selthris averted his eyes away from hers, the crimson on his cheeks reddening even further and not just from the cold. Attempting to toss embarrassment to the frosty wind however, he re-raised his hard-frowning eyes and replied.

"Where did you lose it?" The Lord dutifully asked, folding his own arms forward at her. Her scowl never left her, even as she lowered her eyes in presumable thought.

"I think maybe I must have dropped it on the field yesterday," the Swordmaster answered as she narrowed a single eye downwards. Selthris raised his own silvery eyebrow at her as he waited. She shot her eyes back up at him suddenly, as if suspicious. "I'm not sure where though."

"We were all over that field yesterday...," Selthris murmured in his own thought, breaking his folded arms to scratch nervously at his spiky silvery head. He averted his eyes in a hard-frown, thinking hard to himself. He shook his head however in light dissenting. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to remem-"

"Fine, fuck it then."

Selthris blinked, turning his eyes back to his front; the black-haired Swordmaster had already trailed off away from him toward the main camp. He sighed as he watched her, a sad kind of frown adorned on his face.

"Yo, Sel!"

The Lord's eyebrows lifted for the umpteenth time that morning and he turned to his right to find his ever grinning close friend Leo. The Mercenary raised up his left hand in greeting to the young adult, approaching forward.

"Leo," Selthris greeted in his own smile, his one a little more tired. "How are you?"

"I'm good man, listen," the young Mercenary grinned at him before going into his battle tunic. Pulling out some kind of strange jewellery, Selthris had to narrow his eyes at the very small emerald attached to it to even see what was adorned to the thread. "Lookin' for this?"

"Not 'til now...," the Lord murmured as he turned his silvery eyes after the older sword-slinger, raising one of his eyebrows in her disappearing direction. "That's _amazing_ Leo; how did you find this?" He questioned him in a curious blink as he lightly took the necklace in his own two hands, examining it further with narrowed eyes.

Leo folded his arms and grinned forward in his usual confident style. "Well, I went back to where we fought Sohantha yesterday and looked for an hour or so; couldn't find a thing," the Mercenary admitted before continuing on. "Then I thought to go search at the nearby town! Turns out it got found and sold before we even got a chance to clear the dead." The brown-haired youth grinned in a humoured chuckle.

Selthris stared at him in shock for a few seconds as he spoke before raising his eyebrow. "How... did you know about-?"

"She's been askin' around," he answered in his eternal grin, edging his right thumb and his head in the disappeared Swordmaster's direction. Selthris traced it with an inquisitive blink before his companion continued. "I remembered her wearin' it 'cause it looked so out of place on a chick like her."

Selthris couldn't help but nod in an understandable frown as he turned his eyes back on the strange necklace he carried.

"Yeah, I guess so." The Lord answered, remembering her initial meeting with them; how unclean and shoddily dressed she was.

Living rough no doubt.

"Anyway, you _owe_ me," the Mercenary shot back, this time with a mischievous sense to his grin as he knocked his free left fist against the younger man's chest softly. Though Selthris initially blinked back up at him in his usual business-like frown he couldn't help but smile back warmly and appreciatively. "Guy didn't let it go for just tuppence y'know."

"It wasn't expensive, was it?" Selthris asked as he winced at his older friend.

"Try around two-thousand gold?" The Mercenary grinned over at him in his leant position. Selthris averted his eyes from his close companion in his cringe, visibly affected by his words. "It's all good; you're my best friend, I couldn't care less about money." Leo added in his grin before he turned, presumably to walk off. He raised up his fist, back first to face the smiling Selthris as he walked off. "Later!"

What did I ever do to deserve a friend like that, Selthris thought to himself. He couldn't help but shake his head in his growing smile, feeling warm in spite of the dropping snowflakes around him.

–

 _ **2**_

Selthris winced as he placed the small emerald and its thread on the bed before him. Having been the first time in a woman's tent he found himself feeling nervous; he found the whole thing absolutely ridiculous. As he pulled himself back from the bed he folded his arms and sighed through his nose down at it.

" _Maybe I should go give it to her myself..."_ The young man second guessed to himself, a side of his face crunching in pondering. _"Maybe then it wouldn't look so weird."_

Maybe she wouldn't realise it came from him though; she _was_ pretty angry at you, he thought once more.

He imagined her red-faced and screaming at him, veins pulsing and blood throbbing in her neck and he couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh to himself, shaking his head. Suddenly realising he was still in her tent he gave one final wince before swiftly about turning and leaving. Darting his narrowed eyes around he nodded, more to himself than to anyone else; a sign to himself that he was unseen. The indigo armoured Allied soldiers seemed to be busy readying their equipment and Selthris realised why.

The next battle was fast approaching.

Turning his quick-hardening frown to the centre of the main camp he marched off in search of the briefing room. When he got there he couldn't help but lower his guard once more as he saw the grinning form of Leo greet him outside the tent. Though folded armed, the Mercenary lowered them to edge his thumb backward, presumably toward the entrance. No words were needed for the brotherly pair and as Leo opened up the hatch Selthris bent his spiky-silvery head to walk in; Leo followed through.

"Lord Vikeruce!" Salnarra called over from the familiar table that they used; she sat folded armed and leant her head to her right, in their direction. "A pleasure, as always."

"Well done old boy!" Alaric whispered from the centre seat, turning around to face them. He raised up his right fist to shake in his faithful grin to emphasise his pride in the younger man. Leo turned his confident grin on his companion on his right, placing his hand on his shoulder; Selthris turned to lightly grin back at him before turning his eyes around to shake his head back at Alaric.

"If anyone deserves praise for yesterday's battle... she does," the young Lord intoned over as he nodded his head forwards. The pair of foreign nobles traced his head to find the bit-lip faced Astrid growling down at a chart on the table below her. She nearly dropped the quill pen she carried in her hand when she shot her blonde head up with a gasp, eyes darting around the group.

"W-What, what have I done?" The Advisor managed out, clearly worried and caught mid-work. Alaric exchanged a humoured grin with the chuckling and head-shaken Salnarra.

"Nothing; you're doing great Astrid," Selthris smiled genuinely as he walked forward to join the group, the grinning Leo following quietly. He slapped his hand across her robed back in a brotherly fashion, drawing a comical cough from his older comrade. "Keep it up." He chuckled in his smile, his silvery eyes shutting briefly as he did so.

"I must say young lord," Salnarra began again, this time with a knowing grin as she nodded at the smiling Selthris. He raised his head to face hers and shot up his eyebrow to match his curiosity. "You've fair changed since we both met you."

"Wha-?" Selthris murmured in an inquisitive frown.

"Oh yes; I can attest to this," Alaric chuckled in agreement as he folded his burly arms, turning to grin back up the frowning Aselian noble. "Hardly the same boy you were back _then_ I assure you."

Selthris' raised eyebrows lowered and his eyes regained their tired form, sinking down with them in quiet response. The atmosphere seemed to switch with it and the listening group could only watch him in intrigued silence.

"Three years ago I...," he ventured forward, his words seemingly carried by the tired air he breathed out. "I was a completely different person."

Leo's grin was soon lost to him as he listened; a concerned frown but nevertheless a respectful one.

"It was... that masked general, wasn't it?" Alaric endeavoured to ask, his own expression growing soft. Selthris turned his frown into a wan smile down at the Etherthien king and nodded.

"I can't use him as an excuse but... I was a bad person then," he admitted in a nod, his smile soon devolving into a harder frown. His silvery eyes flitted over to the table and they narrowed, as if in thought. "All I cared about was myself and doing whatever I could to _kill_ him." The Lord explained and, very briefly, he let an angry scowl escape his lips with the words he spoke them in.

"You need not punish yourself for anything Naerith's Masked Man did," Salnarra reasoned with the youth as she turned her folded armed frown up at him. He hovered his own frown back up at her in silence as he listened. "He was a blight to most of the world... especially after most of what he did to earn his infamy."

"I'm just glad we caught ya when we _did,_ " Leo intoned in from the side, ringing his arm 'round the surprised young man's neck. Selthris turned to face him, both eyebrows risen. "Doesn't matter what you were before then; you're here _now_ and you're one of the best people I know." The Mercenary confidently stated in his nodding grin. Selthris couldn't help but smile weakly back in response. Alaric next to him similarly acknowledged the young man's comment in a nodding smirk of his own.

"Hear hear!" Etherthien's king grinned in his nod.

"Were you two _always_ this cute together?" Astrid shot over to the pair as she leant her head to the side, pointing her quill pen at them as she did so. Though Selthris turned to shake his head and laugh quietly with the young Advisor, Leo leant his own head to his left to grin back at her.

"Not the first time we've been pegged like that y'know." The Mercenary grinned over jokingly, winking down at the laughing Astrid.

"Sorry we're late!"

The group swivelled their heads 'round to find the hand-raised, sheepishly smiling Theffania standing in the tent entryway, joined by the ever frowning Norman and Ariella.

"I was helping lady Ariella with her experiments," the Naerith queen smiled as she kept the flap open for the pair to walk in together. She followed along behind them dutifully and faced the smiling group. "I hope we haven't kept things behind too long?"

"No, no; we're absolutely fine, please, take a seat." Astrid chuckled from her earlier good mood, nodding to the seat across from her.

"What a day," Ariella muttered to herself as she dropped herself into the seat next the young Naerith queen, joined by her loyal bodyguard. "And it's only just begun..." She moaned lowly as she pinched the skin between her eyes in a show of frustration.

Selthris couldn't help but smile in a mix of relief and joy; when he heard Theffania speak earlier, his previous suspicions of an interrogation suddenly shot through his nervous system.

It may be a good day after all, he thought to himself in a soft smile.

"You!"

His eyebrows lifted up and he snapped his newly frowning face over to the tent entryway. His eyes widened this time however when his silent fears were realised; the hard glaring face of Sevrenna stared across from the tent at him.

Oh no, he thought.

"I _knew_ it had to be _you!_ " The Swordmaster exclaimed suddenly as she advanced on the group, ripping out the minuscule emerald necklace that once lay in her quarters. She raised it up and thrust it in the frowning Aselian's face, as if to rub his nose in it. "You went into my _room?!_ "

"All right... Sevrenna; please just calm d-"

"Calm _nothing_ mother- _fucker,_ " the Swordmaster cursed as she usually did, however, this time with a special sense of rage to it. She advanced on him and, though he was taller than she was, she glared hatefully back up at his tired, soft-eyed frown. "You better have a good excuse for this or I'm gonna-"

"Enough!" Leo interrupted the pair from the side, frowning firmly as he threw his right arm in between them.

Though Selthris turned his own silvery eyes over to face his close companion, the shorter Sevrenna growled as she was forced back half-a-step. She scowled back at the Mercenary before snapping her anger on her original target.

"I'm _sure_ he was just trying to help, that's all," Astrid spoke up for her new companion and comrade from her seat, smiling over at the small tense group. Sevrenna shot her scowl over to the older blonde and growled back at her warningly. "There's no reason to suspect foul play, surely?"

"Did he take anything of value or anything at all from your room?" Salnarra suddenly shot in with, folded armed and frowning. Often the one to cut to the chase of things, the Coremondian elder seemed fairly impatient to deal with such a matter. Sevrenna snapped her growl back on the older woman before her scowl soon fell short. Her eyes averted her gaze for a few seconds, as if guilty somehow.

"W-Well no but-"

"Then all is well," Alaric smiled in his attempt to pacify the mood and the atmosphere of the group, clapping his hands together in a boisterous laugh. "Come now lady Sevrenna you _must_ get a chuckle out of this!"

The Swordmaster in question watched the Etherthien king for a second before flitting her eyes up to stare back at the fatigue-eyed Lord before her; the reason for her apparent rage. He stared back at her wordlessly for a second before shaking his silvery head at her.

"I'm sorry; I should have spoken with you directly about it," the Aselian king frowned back at her apologetically before bowing his head respectfully. "Please forgive me."

The air went silent for a few seconds after his response and the entire room all turned to watch the similar faced Sevrenna. She watched him for a second or two before averting her eyes and turning, presumably to walk off voicelessly. Even as she left the tent, Leo let out an exasperated sigh, folding his arms.

"Man...," he lamented, shaking his head disapprovingly at her escape. "I just can't work that chick out."

"Women, am I right boys?" Alaric shot in jokingly with a light and humorous grin.

"I'll _pretend_ I didn't hear that." Astrid shot over from her quill and map, grinning in her own humour.

"The women here outnumber you Alaric; I'd be careful with that." Salnarra added with her own grin, drawing a listening chuckle from the sitting Theffania on her left.

"You take it from _me_ ,little Selthris; that woman is trouble," Ariella frowned in, thrusting a finger at the lightly smiling Lord disapprovingly. "The _last_ thing you need is an angry tiger like that one nipping at your heels, especially commanding a force as large as _this_ one."

"I'll be _fine,_ " Selthris insisted with the warm smile re-attaching to his face as he approached the table, standing in between the similarly smiling Alaric and grinning Astrid. "Trust me; with the way I am _no_ woman'll be nipping at _my_ heels anytime soon." The Vikeruce said jokingly, briefly shutting his eyes in his wide smile. The group chuckled back at him before Astrid finally outstretched the map in her hands to fit the table once more.

"Okay!" The Advisor grinned down at it as she stood up from her chair. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

"Things are looking good," Hawke frowned behind her mask as she marched forward, narrowing her eyes past the holes in her disguise and raising her hand to her head, as if to see further in the dusk's distance. Ahead of the team she commanded lay a long and steep hill. Seeming leading up to a mountain, she turned and nodded at the rest of her unit standing by behind her. "Yeah, intel's good."

Sabine chanced a few steps ahead to join her at her side and narrowed his eyes upward. "Astrid sure wasn't kiddin'...," the Archer murmured out as he frowned concernedly. "Are we _really_ going to win this one?"

"Well I have faith in our strategist," Alaric, another part of the unit, grinned in his usual positive and boisterous manner as he sauntered forward to join them. "I am sure she did not send us and the Ambush Squad up here half-heartedly." He claimed, folding his arms.

"I agree with king Alaric," Talia called, even if in a soft and breezy kind of voice. She set her glasses upward on her nose as she grasped the tome of Thunder she carried. "I have detailed knowledge of Sohanthian soil and on Mount Brookhead, her plan was definitely the best."

"You sound sure of it," Sabine questioned, half-suspiciously as he half-turned to face her, raising an eyebrow as he did so. "We're fighting uphill ya know."

Though Talia winced in response she re-opened her mouth to retort. Fortunately for the concerned Thunder Mage however, the ever hard-toned Hawke came to her rescue.

"Stop that; she's only _just_ been added to our unit," the Sniper ordered testily. Though Sabine turned his eyes away from hers in a defeated frown, Hawke turned to face the surprised-faced Talia. "I'm sorry about that; he doesn't mean anything by it." She apologised for him.

"It's fine," the young Sohanthian blonde chuckled good-heartedly, waving off the matter as quickly as she could. "I'm from Sohantha, after all."

"We are _all_ of one mind here," Alaric threw in with his confident grin as he stepped alongside the group. "If we do as lady Astrid suggested and seize certain points on the foots of this mountain..."

"Then we can isolate the enemy commander and administer his death," Sabine added in his low tone of voice, staring upward at the steep hill above the group. He spoke with curious verbose, eliciting the others to temporarily turn to face him, visibly surprised. "What? I just remember what she said."

"Come on," Hawke chuckled through her words, an invisible smile on her face as she edged her head toward the hill. "Ulric's squad'll be needing a hand."

–

 _ **3**_

"Commander Llewel!" General Apheia called out testily as she marched around the main camp, the dust and small rocks of Mount Brookhead firm under her boots. When she couldn't seem to find him in his usual chair she growled impatiently and placed her hands on her hips, tapping on the ground irritably. "Where _is_ that idiot?" The amber armoured Halberdier muttered under her breath.

"I'm over here!"

She snapped her surprised scowl over to her left; the entrance to the commander's open quarters. The disapproving faced Llewel himself sauntered in carrying a small cup of boiling liquid, presumably tea of some kind.

"And I'm _not_ an idiot," the amber robed young man muttered back in response as he passed her, haughtily frowning back at her as he did so. Apheia stared back after him before folding her arms and slowly following behind him. "Well then... what is _so_ important that you must interrupt my pondering period?" The stringy muscled man sighed as he turned to place himself on his open and lavish chair. He crossed his legs at her and looked up as he took a sip from his cup. Apheia looked him down and up again before curling her lip.

Disgusting, she thought to herself.

"The Allied forces were last seen marching on this position, commander," she informed through her folded armed frown. His eyebrows lifted upward in a surprised jolt as he listened. "You should gather your _own_ forces to counter their climb."

" _Really?_ The Allied forces? _Here?_ " He repeated, this time in honest bewilderment. Apheia's hard frown twitched but she remained resolute.

"Yes."

"Hm!" The younger man grinned back at her as he took his cup from his mouth, raising up to face her. "I will _finally_ see some action!"

"If you do not _listen_ to me, then-"

" _I_ am the commander of these forces on Mount Brookhead," Llewel claimed boldly as he stood up from his lavish chair to stand-off with the glaring Halberdier. "I don't _need_ your approval." The strategist shot back as he looked down on her as haughtily as he could. Finding herself with less words to respond to him with, general Apheia could only twitch her scowl very lightly before slowly shutting her eyes and bowing her head in respect.

"Yes... commander," she finally assented in her hard frown. "Please forgive my transgression."

"I will overlook it... _this_ time," commander Llewel shot back as he turned his haughty frown away from her, his eye still on her bowed head. "Send a single force out on both foots of the mountain," the robed man ordered briefly before returning to his seat, his low smile also rebounding as he picked up a small spoon and stirred his tea. "All we need is to rain terror down upon their main camp; they will give up fairly promptly I'm sure." The man smiled as he took another sip of his cup.

"Yes, commander," Apheia robotically shot back in an agreeing nod before raising her right armoured arm horizontally; the military greeting of Sohantha. "The men are already on their way; they shall no doubt be entangled with the approaching enemy forces."

"Good!" Llewel smiled as he raised back up his tea cup before slowly double-taking in her direction, as if shocked she was even still there. He waved his free hand away at her, as if to shoo her. "You may go."

Apheia stopped every bone in her body from quaking in anger but managed to stop herself from responding. Turning swiftly on her heel she marched toward the open exit of the man's quarters, growling to herself.

Calm down, she thought to herself.

" _This attitude will not last."_

"What are our orders, general?"

She snapped her pondering head to her side to find her frowning aide and right hand, Alder. The similar faced soldier stared back at her, awaiting her words. She folded her arms at him and toughened up her own frown as she responded.

"We are to send two units out on both foots of the mountain," the Halberdier explained very briefly, drawing a surprised raised eyebrow from the listening soldier. "That is all." She ordered before dropping her folded arms and continuing on her march forward. Alder blinked and double-took in her direction before swiftly following after her, their amber armour clinking noisily in the dead of night.

"B-But won't that just-?"

"Yes," Apheia responded with an intense growl as she glared forward at the dark field ahead of her. "This battle is _over_ with _that_ idiot commanding the men."

"What shall _we_ do general?" The soldier asked eagerly, raising a curious eyebrow upward. This time Apheia put on a confident smirk as she faced the man in their walk.

"Follow our orders, major, of course," she answered before swiftly turning her smirk forward once more. "When the Sohanthian forces on Mount Brookhead are inevitably routed then who can say if there will be any survivors?" The Halberdier explained very briefly as she visibly shrugged in her confident smirk, eliciting an initially surprised frown from the wide-eyed soldier. Alder soon caught on however and grinned alongside her with a nod.

"Yes general!"

* * *

"It's just like I thought," Astrid murmured as she examined the map on the night's field below her. Though her eyes darted across the magical moving shapes, she narrowed them and shot down an inanimate moving piece on the top right of the map, visibly the mountain itself. "We go ahead as planned!"

"It _is_ looking good," Edgar intoned as he stood leaning to his usual side next to her, his steel axe hanging across his broad shoulders. "You think they'll run into any problems?"

"Not yet," Astrid answered as she looked up at the standing Axe Fighter from her kneeling position, shaking her head as she did so. "They haven't yet brought in anyone competent enough to handle basic defensive strategies; if we can exploit that..."

"Then exploit it we will, huh," Edgar answered for her as he turned his own eyes down to face her before receiving a wordless grin from the young robed blonde. The indigo armoured Axe Fighter's own frown slowly snaked into a rare tiny grin of his own and he nodded. "Trust _you_ to work all that out this early in the war."

"If I can help to mitigate as many lives as possible then that's what I'll do!" Etherthien's strategist nobly stated as she flipped the coin-like token she had earlier placed on the map before shutting her eyes and continuing on. _"Team Two! Now's your chance!"_

–

 **4**

Gorlin grinned as he shot his steel sword across the air, easily passing through an approaching small battalion of Sohanthian soldiers. The five men all managed to gasp out as some were sent rolling back where they came while others such as the captain of the small group gurgled out blood from his wounded throat. He dropped to the ground in a final pained cough, staining the mountainous field in hot crimson. Though the agile Nomad Trooper had swayed through his charge, he swiftly about-turned to face his rear and the frontlines of the first mountain foot.

As he did so however, the grunting Bernhard behind him caber tossed the roaring Gerard above his crown and the shouting Armour Knight came plummeting down into a group of second group of approaching soldiers. The Sohanthian men all let out pained cries as they were sent careering off the mountains into the unscalable slopes, never to be seen again. While the frowning Gerard used his recovery time to gasp out in his effort that he previously exuded his eyes widened when he saw an approaching Paladin mounted on a horse rushing at him.

As if to answer his worrying dilemma however, the grinning Kay shot off like a fireball and smashed her very _body_ against the grunting unnamed Paladin, sending the two rolling into the dirt and the ground roughly. Gorlin couldn't help but shake his head disapprovingly with a contrasting grin attached to his expression as he watched them struggle before walking forward to assist her.

Meanwhile the dismounted Cavalier growled as she yanked her iron sword out and raised it upwards to finish him with. Unfortunately however, the Paladin acted faster and smashed his armoured fist into her side; she gasped and, with widened eyes, dropped her weapon to the floor with a noisy thunk. Before he could follow up however, the smirking Gorlin's shadow soon loomed over him and he snapped his eyes over to him in a worried gasp.

The hulking Coremondian merely wordlessly grinned back down at him before sticking his own weapon through the man's exposed throat. A similar gurgle escaped his lips before the poor Paladin was put to rest as he yanked the blade back out. With his free hand he offered the gasping Kay a hand back up.

"I didn't need any help!" The dismounted Cavalier shot over in a low grin of her own as she dusted herself off, the dirt reaching into her already dark shaded blonde hair. "I had him!"

"For Narga's sake Kay, he had _you,_ " the Coremondian grinned back at her as he shook his head in quiet disagreement. "Otherwise you did good though."

"Yes, thank you Kay," Gerard gasped as he twirled his steel lance up into the air, now fully recovered from his earlier attack. "You saved me."

"Doesn't help if she's _dead_ though, now, does it?" Bernhard shot in with gloomily as he joined his teammates, scowling as he always did. His arms were folded as the Cavalier faced him with an annoyed pout of her own.

"Yeah all right chuckles," the commander of the unit shot over in a grin, his bulky arms resting on his hips as he did. Bernhard's scowl lightly twitched but he said nothing, instead turning to marvel at the view on the mountain. "But he's got a point, Kay," Gorlin continued, this time with a low frown, as opposed to his usual expressions. Kay similarly turned to face him with an inquisitive frown of her own as she listened. "Your life is too important to just _risk_ like that."

"But what if-"

" _Even_ if I'm about to die," he finished for her, grinning as he did. The dismounted Cavalier rolled her eyes in impudent impatience but nodded as she folded her arms and averted his gaze. "All right, just be more careful with your counter-attacks in the future, okay?" He asked as he passed her, raising up his right index finger to rest on the side of his forehead.

He briefly shut his eyes as he began to process his Aegir to his thoughts to respond to their strategist.

" _It's done chief!"_

* * *

" _Right on time as always, thank you Gorlin!"_ Astrid thought back in reply as she smiled appreciatively, nodding down at the map. Edgar's eyes widened next to her as he examined the map with her, listening in through his own Quintessence.

"He's... pretty fast," the Axe Fighter murmured as he watched the pieces on the board-like map moving with their unit. "I forgot _just_ how fast."

"Oh that's right; you two are acquainted, I keep forgetting," Astrid chuckled good-naturedly as she turned briefly to face him with her sociable smile. She swiftly returned her attention to the battle on her map however. "Okay, Team Two have successfully taken the right foot of the mountain."

Edgar's eyebrow raised upward in curiosity. "And all that left is...?"

–

 _ **5**_

" _Ambush Squad, Team One; it's time!"_

Ulric nodded as he re-opened his eyes to face the left side of the mountainous range he stood on.

"You ready?" Hawke asked as she walked alongside the fellow captain, nodding her masked head at the veteran upward. The Paladin turned to face her and smirked unusually at her.

"Milady I was _born_ ready." The seemingly older warrior smirked back at her confidently.

"Those Sohanthians man... they ain't got a _shot_ at this," Leo grinned as he twirled his Hero Sword around his arm expertly, sauntering over to join them. "This'll be a good training exercise!"

"Don't get overconfident, sir Leo!" Garrus called over as he hovered down with his flapping dragon. "It invites danger."

"Agreed," Sabine murmured alongside the Dragon Rider as he hiked next to the commander of his unit, staring up at the rising hill. "Last thing we need is a retreat to explain to the boss."

"Come now young Sabine, have faith in our strategist _and_ our commander!" Alaric repeated for the second time that night, marching forward ahead of the group confidently, his indigo armoured chest exposed. "The Ambush Squad and Team One have joined forces here tonight; we _cannot_ lose!"

"I like that thought," Talia chuckled behind him as she joined the group timidly, still gripping her Thunder tome close to her. "It's going to feel strange fighting my former comrades, but..."

"Aw to _hell_ with 'em Tal!" Leo exclaimed suddenly as he ran his free left arm 'round the squeaking young woman's neck comfortably, grinning next to her. "If they couldn't work with a sweetheart like you then they don't _deserve_ you." The Mercenary grinned confidently as he used his right finger to lightly press against her small nose, causing a surprised but listening blink from the Thunder Mage. The listening group turned to watch them with exchanging grins, almost as if knowing somehow before, finally, someone interrupted.

"I think I may _vomit._ " Sevrenna's words cut into the exchange like a freezing icicle through boiling water. The ebony haired Swordmaster stood a few feet away from them, watching them with a comically dead-pan frown on her face. Alaric couldn't help himself from laughing at the young woman's words.

"Ah, youth!" He lamented briefly in his good-hearted laugh. "How I _miss_ moments like these!"

"Sharpen up," Ulric advised suddenly his voice, though calm, was forceful enough to garner attention. The Paladin's eyes narrowed at the approaching forces; a similarly small battalion of ground-bound men on foot, all soldiers wielding steel lances. "Here they come." He added as he watched them hungrily. Hawke exchanged a silent nod with the frowning Sabine and the two nocked arrows in their bows; Alaric watched them with a similar nod of his own before suddenly slamming his own steel lance into the ground, a contrasting hard frown on his face.

As if appearing by magic, an alarming pair of ice-like stalactites shot up from the ground around the approaching forces. Hawke and Sabine both widened their eyes as they fired from their bows, easily sticking through two unfortunate roaring victims. Sevrenna growled as she suddenly shot through the field, leaving behind an Aegir shroud of fire in her steps; the swift Swordmaster swiped across Alaric's grown stalactites and her boiling fire soon smashed the pair, allowing the blood-filled pair of soldiers to drop with them.

Supporting his comrade however, the narrow-eyed Leo leapt through the air before spinning around in a wind-infused spin attack, easily batting away the pair of soldiers that rushed at her recovering. As he landed, he faced behind her and their backs lightly grazed against one another to testify the magnificent control of his Quintessence.

"Impressed?" The Mercenary grinned half-way 'round in her direction. The joyless Swordmaster snapped her eyes around in her usual firm scowl.

"Hmph!" She merely exclaimed back in reply.

The horse-riding Ulric shot past them however, his trusty silver lance attached to his dominant right hand. He spun it around before aiming it forward and, in no time at all, smashed it through the roaring enemy Cavalier's own iron lance, easily piercing him through. Though Leo grinned as he watched the exchange, almost as if at a jousting match, his keen perception had him shooting his eyes to the opposite direction to find himself being saved once more and this time by the firm-frowning Garrus.

Atop his dragon mount, the young black-haired warrior yelled as he slammed his iron battle-axe into the similar armoured Cavalier on the left. Perhaps this time with a weapon advantage over the poor man, his iron lance was smashed apart in the impact, and it was an even easier dispatch. The hard-frowning Dragon Rider opted to switch up to a satisfied smirk as he and his dragon looped around expertly in the air before hovering down safely.

Ulric turned to face the growing group of warriors and, viewing their victory over the left side of the mountain, he nodded in satisfaction of his own.

Time to inform, he thought to himself.

* * *

" _We have successfully captured the second foot of the mountain!"_

Astrid's eyes shot wide open and, as she snapped her head to the frowning Edgar, he nodded his leant frowning head down at her in response.

"My turn huh...?"

"You mean _our_ turn!" The interrupting, grinning young Leo shot in with as he sauntered towards him from the other side of the mountain. Edgar couldn't help but give his companion a rare grin in response, nodding as they exchanged brotherly fist-bumps.

"Hell yeah."

"I think Selthris is-"

"He's already ahead, yeah," Leo answered for the blinking Astrid. She nodded in an assenting smile of her own. "What do you think? Meet up with Sevrenna and Tina on the way?"

Edgar nodded as he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck from side to side. "That sounds like a decent idea," the Axe Fighter agreed in his objective frown. "I imagine they're all probably closer to the summit than we are anyway."

Leo turned his eye, and his grin, toward the summit's direction ahead of him in a grin. "Then it's up we go!"

–

 _ **6**_

"You certain you'll be fine?" Selthris asked again over his shoulder at the atop Pegasus Knight behind him. Though his arms were folded and he frowned, his expression seemed to contain a hint of unease and apology in it. Tina seemed to notice but she opted not to give her unit commander and old acquaintance a smile regardless; she frowned and nodded back in response.

"I'm fine, I promise," she insisted and declared in her assenting nod. Selthris watched her for a second before lightly sighing through his nose and turning back to the front. "Besides you should be at the ready for the rest of the unit." The teal haired young woman claimed as she nodded her head to her left. Selthris snapped his own silvery head around in surprise before narrowing his eyes in the direction she pointed him in.

Sure enough, as if in response to her words, the ever scowling faced Sevrenna came marching up from the lower side of the mountain all on her lonesome. She twirled the steel sword she carried around in her right hand expertly, blood from her earlier attack still on the blade. The icy indigo robed Swordmaster opted to nod her head upward in greeting to the Pegasus Knight and the frowning swordsman ahead of her instead of opening her mouth.

"Evening," Tina greeted, her usually cheerful tone gone in place of a frosty one. Sevrenna opted to turn her own cold gaze back on the similar aged young woman, raising instead an ebony eyebrow in curiosity. "Do you _never_ clean yourself?" The Pegasus Knight suddenly derided as she narrowed her eyes down at her. The Aselian Swordmaster's scowl soon turned worse, _(if that were even possible)_ and her lip curled in a show of similar disgust.

"I'm _sorry_ if I don't fit in with your friends from Etherthien," the raven-haired swords-woman shot back in open hostile, a sarcastic tone to her voice. "But I'm actually _focused_ and _driven,_ " she criticised angrily before turning her lip up at her in veritable repulsion. "I'm no _woman;_ I'm a fighter."

"How _dare_ you imply I'm any less stronger than _you_ are!" Tina suddenly exclaimed as she leant forward on her mount, narrowing her eyes down at the scowling Swordmaster.

"What do you mean _imply?_ " Sevrenna snorted back in response as she snapped her hard-eyed scowl up on the similar faced Pegasus Knight atop her mount. As if called to action, the messy-haired Pegasus Knight hopped down from her Pegasus and advanced on the Swordmaster, glaring back. "You may as _well_ be younger than I am; I've _seen_ you fight," she claimed boldly as the Pegasus Knight finally approached her. "The best of Etherthien is _no_ match for the best of Aselia."

Selthris' hard frown twitched as he listened, his silvery eyes still set forward at the summit high above them.

"You wanna _prove_ that?" Tina shot out with in a suspiciously low tone of voice as she leant her body closer to the similarly young woman. The dismounted Pegasus Knight's arms swiftly shot down to her hips as she did so, however, she brought her right hand up from it and contrastingly softly prodded the scowling Swordmaster before her.

The two women stood glaring at one another; Sevrenna in a hateful scowl and Tina in an annoyed glower. Silence descended upon the trio before, Selthris, finally acknowledging the fast rising tension in the air, spun around to frown over at them.

"Enough!" He interrupted in a forceful shout, snapping his head back half-way to face the pair. Their eyes darted to meet his and he sighed, this time loudly enough for them to hear before re-opening his mouth to continue. "If you can't work together I'll send you _both_ back to the main camp," the Lord warned as he turned his hard-eyed frown forward. Sevrenna rolled her eyes in annoyance and Tina turned her own disappointed gloom similarly away from them, both opting to stay silent this time. "Besides... you can _both_ be strong, how about that?" The young adult smiled out very faintly this time as he turned briefly to face the surprised pair.

"She started it..." Tina comically murmured under her breath, immediately eliciting the scowling-faced Swordmaster's glaring wrath. The Pegasus Knight turned back to hop up on her Pegasus once more. When the side of Sevrenna's eye caught the approaching forms of two more Aselian soldiers, dressed in similar indigo shaded armour, Selthris thanked whatever god may have remained for the loss of their argument.

"That's them now." Sevrenna called forward lightly in her business-like frown. Selthris nodded as he turned back to face the grinning Leo, joined as ever by his objectively frowning companion Edgar.

"Yo!" The ever sociable Mercenary grinned over at them, balancing his trusty Hero Sword across his shoulders in an amusing mirror to his Axe Fighter comrade. "Damn! What happened here? Feels like a _bomb_ went off." He chuckled good-naturedly as he turned his eye on the uncomfortably frowning pair of women next to him. Edgar shook his head disapprovingly at the Mercenary and sighed, drawing an amused listening grin from their commander.

"Ya know for a smart guy you can be pretty dense Leo." The Axe Fighter sighed comically, the atmosphere gradually turning into a playful one.

"Whaaat?!" Leo laughed back at his older friend. "Well, not _everybody_ can be perfect." The Mercenary humbly gave in with a bantering grin, shrugging as he did so. As the smiling Selthris approached, he turned to face him with his grin and the pair shared a slapping brotherly handshake.

"Chief," the Lord chuckled as he regarded his close companion. "What took you both so long?"

"Well we could have _easily_ have beaten even _you_ guys here if _this_ guy had finished his homework early," Leo joked as he edged his thumb in Edgar's frowning direction. As he was mentioned however, his frown switched to a shut-eyed, head-shaking grin, rare and all from the usually stoic Axe Fighter. "Nah seriously but I hope I didn't keep us _too_ long," Leo chuckled again humbly as he turned his head back to face his best friend and commander. "I imagine we got a schedule to keep."

Selthris shook his spiky-silvery head softly in response, his smile still on his face. "We're fine in all honesty," the Lord claimed as he slowly turned his body around to face the front. His smile slowly dissolved as he did however, as if reverting to battle-form. "We just have _one_ more thing to do." He spoke, this time in his frown. As if reacting to his words, the scowling-faced Sevrenna marched alongside the trio, standing behind them dutifully as she spun her steel sword around. Tina followed along the other side, her pegasus hovering forward to join them.

"Whoever's up on that summit..." Leo began lowly, and with his usually confident grin attached to his expression.

"Is gonna _really_ feel it," Edgar intoned with his lower voice before putting on a tiny grin of his own from Selthris' right, turning his eyes over to face the Mercenary with. "Right?" He asked for clarification, merely receiving a chuckling nod in response.

"Team Three...," Selthris began before swiftly unsheathing the familiar sword at his hip once given to him on Etherthien's Mount Wrulz, the Hakai. "Move out!"

* * *

"It certainly is _noisy,_ " Llewel murmured from his comfortably lavish seat, sipping from his cup as he did. His eyes watched the growing din of the talking and marching shadows of soldiers ahead from the tall platforms that surrounded his open quarters. "I wonder what's...?"

As if to respond to his quiet question, an amber armoured soldier dutifully rushed in to his main camp and bowed quickly in respect, as if to force out the pleasantries.

"My lord, things have gotten desperate," the nameless soldier began as he pulled his head up from his bow, visibly sweating beneath his helmet. Llewel's brow furrowed in further confusion as he listened, raising an eyebrow with it to match. "Our forces have been pushed back and-"

"Why are _you_ reporting to me, soldier?" Llewel interrupted impatiently and petulantly as he placed his cup down on the small table next to him. "Where is general Apheia and Alder?"

"Th-That's just it my lord; they've been routed!" The soldier exclaimed back in response, a visible wince beneath his helmet. The listening strategist's eyes widened in silent shock. "The Aselian forces have ambushed both foots of our Mount Brookhead! They've plugged our routes to attack them with!"

Unable to find the words with which to respond with, Llewel could only stare back in his widened eyed frown. His mouth opened, as if to respond with some words, but it stayed in suspended animation; simply left speechless.

"My lord, what are your orders?" The soldier added, this time with a determined frown upon his face. "My lord!" He called out louder and more forcefully, as if to pull his superior from his trance.

Llewel's eyes widened once more and, as they did, he gasped and shook his head involuntarily. "I-I am... alone...?"

"My _lord!_ " The soldier exclaimed this time, causing him to gasp for a second time in watching and listening to him. "Our forces are on the brink of annihilation!" He called forward desperately, his own eyes widening, respect and formality unofficially left from his tone of voice. "What _are_ your orders?!"

Retreat briefly entered the strategist's mind but then he swiftly remembered the Sohanthian creed.

Even _if_ he were to return to the empress' side, she'd no doubt have him killed.

No, he thought. Our only remaining option here is to stand and fight.

He stood up from his seat and tried to force his legs to stop from shaking. "We will push them back!" The strategist exclaimed suddenly and optimistically, attempting to put on a hard frown as he did so. "We still have _one_ warrior that can turn the tides of battle after all!"

The soldier's own eyes widened, almost as if he recognised his words in response. "You mean...?"

"Yes!" General Llewel grinned out this time, as if his confidence was returning to him. "We still have... 'Dorkoth of the amber country!"

–

 _ **7  
**_

Even as they approached the end of the last group of yellow-shaded soldiers, Selthris spun Hakai 'round his wrist with an inquisitive frown adorned on his face. Team Three had faced no real issues as of yet and, as Archibald slowly flapped down to meet with him, he turned to face Tina atop him. Selthris shot his head upward once in a silent gesture with his business-like frown attached to his face.

"That's it commander!" She called down at him, shaking her head in her own frown. Selthris raised a silvery eyebrow upwards. "There's no more enemy units!"

"Tch!" Sevrenna shot in with as she yanked her steel sword from the gurgling throat of a deceased soldier. She kicked his body for good measure before marching over to join them. "This is _hardly_ a fight; aren't they supposed to be the empire? The most feared military nation on the continent?"

"I wouldn't get overconfident," Leo advised as he stepped between the pair, grinning over at her in response. "Overconfidence-"

"Invites death," Edgar finished for his close comrade, swinging his free left arm around his shoulder as he walked towards them. When the Mercenary turned his head to meet the Axe Fighter's he couldn't help in shaking his head with a visibly amused grin. "Right?"

"Are you finishing _all_ my sentences today?" Leo grinned back, tilting his head comically as he did so.

"See anyone else up there?" Selthris questioned, turning his eye back on the boarded Pegasus Knight. She blinked back down in his direction and she nodded.

"It seems like there's only a few people left; I just seen two men inside the last structure just up ahead," the young woman informed briefly in her nod. "I think one of them may be the commander."

"Then that's who we'll finish with." Selthris responded in a low-toned, hard frown forward. As Sevrenna listened next to him she couldn't help but break out into a wide grin, watching him before swiftly following his example and shooting her gaze forward.

"Hell _yes_ we will." The Swordmaster agreed in her usual coarse way of speaking, marching alongside the unit. When they finally reached the structure in their main camp however, one of the two men that their comrade had mentioned finally emerged from the area. A tan-robed older man smiled over at the unit of five alliance warriors and raised up his arms, as if to ward them off.

"Please, do not be alarmed!" The man called over, eliciting a few raised eyebrows from the listening group. "I am the Sohanthian commander; my name is Llewel-"

" _You're_ the commander?" Sevrenna suddenly shot out with as she advanced on him in her interruption, raising her steel sword to point directly at him. The stringy muscled man winced and took a few steps back in squeaking shrinking as he watched, clearly intimidated. "Then you're _mine._ " She hissed over as she glared at him, a hungry look in her eye as she advanced forward. Selthris' left arm shot over to stop her however and, with it, his narrowed silver eye. When she snapped her scowl to meet his, she glared at him.

"Why?!"

 _SMASH_

The structure that the enemy commander had suddenly walked through burst open to reveal a hulking brute of a man. The unit turned their eyes over to him, mostly in shock. Selthris' own hard-eyed gaze followed him and watched him stomp over suspiciously.

"That's why." The Aselian noble replied in his own low tone of voice. Though proven wrong in her line of thinking, the Swordmaster merely growled back at the thumping man before her.

"Commander... that thing's too big for just _one_ of us to fight," Tina whispered over from her mount, her eyes never leaving the grinning giant. The previously worried Llewel leapt behind him, as if to hide from the incoming enemy forces. "I don't even know if _you_ could take it."

"Come _on_ Teens," Leo shot over with his affinity for nicknames, grinning at the messy-haired Pegasus Knight before snapping his gaze over to the knuckle cracking man. "Sel's the strongest guy we _got;_ he ain't losin' to _this_ nobody."

"Agreed." Edgar objectively nodded alongside his close companion, frowning as he always did.

"That's not the point," Selthris muttered as he glared back at the smirking faced man above them. "I'd rather not kill him if I can avoid it; we've already done enough of that."

Listening to him on her right, Sevrenna's low scowl twitched and, as if triggered by his very words, the robed Swordmaster abruptly took off toward them. Most of group let out shocked gasps in her direction, unable to respond in time.

"No!" Leo called out, eyes widening. "Sel, do something!"

"Dorkoth!" Llewel squealed out from behind the hulking man before turning and running, presumably worried for his safety.

* * *

Watching the speedy Swordmaster rush at him in a direct scowl, the grinning Dorkoth brought his knuckles down from cracking them and let out a single grunt as he smashed his fist into the ground where she was approaching from. Spitting up rocks, grass and other such things, he barely saw her disappear into an after-image of her sailing form. With a challenging and amused chuckle, the large brute snapped his hulking arm to his right to back-hand block the reappearing and scowling Sevrenna at his right. Slashing her steel sword across his forearm she widened her eyes when she watched it bounce off harmlessly. As her opponent's grin turned on her, she couldn't help but grow tense as he 'rounded the rest of his body around, presumably for a counter-attack.

Dorkoth rumbled loudly under his throat as he pulled his free arm back and, still recovering from her slash attack, the Swordmaster could only watch in widened eyes as she hung in mid-air like a kind of limbo. The fist finally came breezing through the air but, as it did, a silver lightning bolt suddenly sparked in between them; when Sevrenna re-opened her eyes she found the back-facing form of Selthris standing between them, his two arms coated in electricity and crossed together in a defensive formation. Undeterred by the new intruder, Dorkoth's grin never left him as he mashed his fist against the young man's defensive form.

 _SMASH_

The two struggled for a few seconds but, before the other members of the unit could even approach to help, Dorkoth's rumble grew louder and with it, his power. Selthris' silvery eyes shot wide open when he realised his defence failing; even though his lightning affinity coursed through the undeterred hulk, he was uncaring. Finally pushing through Dorkoth let loose a morale-filled war cry and, like a cork from a wine bottle, Selthris was soon plucked from his defence and sent sailing back through the air, rolling as he was. His artificial electricity followed him and Sevrenna's widened eye, grit toothed frown watched before snapping back to meet the jolted Dorkoth high above her.

"Commander!" Tina called out as she approached before kicking her flying steed after him, soon disappearing into the night sky in pursuit.

"Cyclone _Smash!_ " Leo's call came from the frontlines; Dorkoth's grin soon left him and he swivelled his head 'round and upward to find the plummeting forms of Leo and Edgar, their wind and earth Quintessence joining together in a joint effort. The pair of Aselian warriors collided their contrasting weapons into the newly defending Dorkoth. His bulky arms shot forward in a similar defensive cross formation. To his credit, the seemingly unrefined fighter managed to block the youths' combined effort, merely being sent skidding back a few steps.

"This... is not good." Edgar murmured out from his earth-style attack, both hands on his steel axe as he did.

"Ya _think?_ " Leo whispered down in a bout of worried sarcasm, teeth grit and all. As if reading their very thoughts, the hulking Dorkoth grinned widely as he pulled his arms apart and brought them both down imposingly. Their eyes widening, the pair of friends immediately back-stepped as fast as they could, barely avoiding his primal smash. Boulders, grass and rocks once more were spit up from his laughing assault. Before he could pursue the retreating two however, he heard a sudden and noisy clang behind him; widening his eyes he swivelled his body around to find the re-scowling face of his former opponent Sevrenna below him. She held onto her steel sword, now stuck deep into the rocky ground below her.

He raised an eyebrow down at her curiously, attempting to work out her intentions. When he saw the sparks around her blade quickly escalate into fire however his eyes widened and, just as he attempted to leap forward, the circle around his legs and body erupted into a majestic explosion of pure fire. Opting instead not to call out toward him, Sevrenna's black hair blew wildly and the fire lit up her wordless, scowling face as she watched him with a kind of silent fury. Finally the fire dissipated with the use of her Aegir however and, when it did, the remaining group of three people were borne witness to the most shocking sight yet.

The hulking form of Dorkoth's burnt body stood imposingly before them, his clothes burnt to rags from the earlier attack. As he lowered his defending arms, the burnt grin on his face revealed his fatigue or, rather, his lack _of_ it. Sevrenna's eyes widened and she lost her usual scowl in place of a bewildered frown, as if unable to find the words with which to respond. Taking the initiative this time, Dorkoth used her shock to his advantage and laughed as he raised up his right leg before smashing it down noisily. Sevrenna had to keep herself from falling back down the mountain itself, gripping her steel sword for a handle.

He's going to charge at me, Sevrenna thought in growing panic, her eyebrows lifting up in concern.

As if reading her thoughts, the grinning Dorkoth made ready to charge forward before stopping briefly to scowl around half-way behind him. His ears seemingly caught the similarly charging forms of the hard-faced team he had defended from earlier; Edgar and Leo flew at him with their earth and wind Quintessence powering their blades. Seemingly uncaring of the pair however, his grin returned to him when he swung his right hulking fist behind him to smack the yelling pair of comrades back the way they came. His hungry eyes snapped back to grin down at the grit-toothed form of Sevrenna below him and, as he made ready to charge once more, something else even more shocking happened.

Sevrenna's eyes widened for the umpteenth time when she caught the sailing form of a _lightning_ _bolt_ itself; Dorkoth's eyes also widened and he shot up his arms to defend against it. Though successful, he found his charge impeded completely and with the interruption of a new rival, the large man snapped his sparking body 'round to glare at the intrusion. The bolt of lightning skid across the ground before swiftly materialising into the hard-scowling form of the Aegir aura covered Selthris Vikeruce. He spun around with the bolt he was before and twirled the sword he carried, Hakai, 'round his right arm before suddenly stabbing it roughly into the ground.

The pair stood their ground together and stared one another down as a bull and a bull-fighter would. Sevrenna's brow furrowed suspiciously as she watched the crackling, lightning form of Selthris; when she noted his usually dull silvery eyes had soon switched to a haunting black her _own_ eyes widened.

" _Why have his eyes changed?"_ The Swordmaster could only think to herself in silent wondering.

Soon however, the grinning and thus far wordless form of Dorkoth opted to move first; the hulking brute this time changed his charging target to the scowling-faced Selthris. The ground shook shockingly and the watching group could only view the confrontation in silence as they recovered from either their earlier attacks or their fatigue.

The imposing Dorkoth rushed at him with an unsubtle but effective roaring smash of his two fists. Seemingly hitting dead-centre, the large man's eyes widened and his grin grew even further when he saw the young man's scowling form after-image in a manner similar to his earlier opponent. Expecting an attack from one of his sides, Dorkoth laughed as he shot up his right forearm to block the incoming youth's black lightning infused kick.

This time, surprised however, Dorkoth's eyes shot wide open and his grin was finally lost to him. When the kick connected, the ebony electricity from his body joined with _his_ and he was sent a surprising distance back, toward the edge of the mountain. Dorkoth gasped in shock and he turned his eye down on the frightening set behind and below him before hissing in anger when he found his right arm suddenly unresponsive; it hung below limp at his side and he roared in anger as he attempted to move it but to no avail.

" _Go_ commander!" Sevrenna hollerred over, her eyes widening in her own kind of anger. "Push him off!"

Dorkoth's own growl and glare shot over to her before they snapped suddenly ahead of him to find the similarly glowering form of his suddenly imposing enemy. Unfortunately for the large man however, he had managed to lose sight of him entirely; his eyes widened and he darted them around in search for the young man. Unsuccessfully locating him with his eyes, his ears picked up movement from his undefended back and, as time slowed down for him, he swivelled slowly to face the scowling form of his black lightning-encased enemy.

"Noooooo _oooooo!_ " Dorkoth finally let loose in an initially low but high growing volume roar of concern as the growling Selthris stepped forward to sweep his legs. The ebony lightning joined with the grunting Dorkoth and he found himself falling to the ground on his side; unable to move his right arm or his legs now from contact with the strange electricity, he could only watch as the young Lord pulled his left lightning-encased fist. Time slowed down for him for just a second before, suddenly he drove his arm into the larger man's frontal plexus.

 _DROOM_

The explosion, not just from the young adult's attack but from the collision he sent his enemy into, caused the mountain to rumble quietly, echoing down to the base. The structure that Dorkoth had destroyed earlier was rent asunder even further, leaving almost nothing left. As if already having seen this before, Leo sighed as he peeled himself up off of the battlefield, grunting as he cricked his neck and ran his shoulders 'round themselves to restore feeling. Edgar followed his example and the similarly frowning Tina brought her pegasus down to join the group.

Sevrenna could only stare back at the newly black-eyed scowling form of Selthris Vikeruce, silent awe on her open lips.

–

 _ **8  
**_

"Well done Sel," Leo gasped out as he ran his spare wrist across his front mouth, as if to wipe off the dust that had gathered from his fall earlier. He sheathed the Hero Sword he so faithfully used before turning his dusty grin on the frowning Lord. "For a second I didn't think we'd get outta that alive."

"Yeah," Selthris agreed with in a low smile of his own after briefly shutting his eyes to change his form back. His intense black electricity and Aegir aura soon dissipated with it. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help."

"Don't sweat it," the Mercenary grinned back as he shook his head dismissively, raising his arms to rest behind his head. "Can hardly help when somethin' like _that_ ha-" He began in his sociable grin before widening his eyes as he snapped his head around to find the frowning Sevrenna advancing toward them, clearly looking for an audience. She seemed to look out of sorts however and turned her eyes away from the pair, drawing the two young men to exchange unsure looks with one another. Before they could even question her however, the frowning Tina hovered towards them atop Archibald, his wings flapping lightly.

"Commander!" The Pegasus Knight called down, pulling the Lord's own similarly frowning attention. "We should stop the attack; confirm the kill!"

"I agree," Edgar called over from the side as he also peeled himself up from the battlefield, groaning lightly as he shook his head. He edged his free thumb and head toward the area of impact in an obvious gesture. "We should go check."

Reacting with a simple and wordless nod, Selthris advanced forward, silently gesturing to the frowning Sevrenna to follow. She marched along behind the two men and, as Selthris yanked out the Hakai from the ground on his way, she watched his back intently, as if curious somehow. Finally however, the team of five reached the destroyed main camp only to find the badly burnt and barely alive form of Dorkoth.

"Hard to believe he was so intimidating earlier...," Tina murmured as she watched him from atop her pegasus. "Look at him now."

"No-one messes with the _big boss man,_ " Leo teased jokingly in his humorous grin as he softly knocked the smiling youth next to him on the chest brotherly. "That guy had a lot of strength but no real skill in using it."

"Exactly," Edgar nodded in objective, quiet agreement. "He was definitely fierce... but I've seen stronger opponents."

"We've done enough here," Selthris finally answered however and this time in a business-like frown. He swayed his hand across the air, as if to gesture that the battle was over. "We're returning to camp." He intoned out as he sent the Hakai to his sheath quietly before turning to leave. Tina nodded and quietly urged her pegasus to keep up with her superior, flapping along quietly.

"You betcha," Leo agreed in his grateful grin, nodding as he turned alongside his close friend. "I hope Garrus is makin' cookies again!"

"Those were nice." Edgar rarely smiled in nodding agreement alongside the chuckling Mercenary.

"Right?!" He boyishly grinned, exchanging a humorous high five with the Axe Fighter.

"That's _it?_ "

Selthris blinked before swiftly about-turning his body half-way to meet the interrupting voice, eliciting the rest of the team to follow in his movements. Sevrenna stared back at him, visibly shocked.

"Is _what_ it?" He asked.

"This is our _enemy,_ " the robed Swordmaster urged as she gestured down at the unconscious form of the beaten hulk. "Why are we leaving him alive?"

"Because we've spilled enough blood tonight," Selthris answered very quickly in response. Though she tutted loudly enough for them to hear, clearly disagreeing as she snapped her eyes away from his, she soon re-faced them to frown hard back at him. "I'd rather not kill any more people if I can avoid it."

"Fine!" The young woman finally spat out in grudging agreement. Selthris' silvery eyebrows shot up in visible surprise and even the listening Leo and Edgar shared a similarly bewildered look together. "But... I want a word alone with you," she finished, this time bringing her eyes back up to frown at his. "In _private._ " She insisted as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the rest of the group. Though Leo nudged the young king's side in a teasing grin, Selthris brought him to a swift close with a gentle raise of his left hand, chuckling alongside him. He nodded at the staring three, allowing them to continue on forward, leaving the two alone. Selthris lost his smile in favour of his ever serious frown as he swivelled to face her, a hand on hip as he did.

"Yes?" He merely asked, popping up a curious eyebrow.

Her hands instinctively went up to the necklace around her neck and, as they did, Selthris' eyebrows rose up again in recognition.

The same necklace that Leo managed to find?

I'll have to pay him back for that, Selthris thought to himself in a silent reminder.

"I...," she began slowly, her eyes limpid and half-closed as if unsure on whether to continue. "I wanted to... _thank_ you for...," she started again as she closed her left fingers around the tiny emerald around it and showing it to him, raising her eyes to face his as she did. "For this."

"Oh." He merely said in response, his eyes widening in honest shock.

"Um... I _know_ I reacted badly earlier this morning but I...," the Swordmaster began as she watched him quietly. Selthris suddenly felt the same kind of unease he did three years ago, when saving Tina. Familiar feelings welled up inside him and he watched her carefully. "I'm grateful," she insisted in a rare gentler tone. "And I'm sorry for... for shouting at you earlier."

Selthris could only stare at her in silent shock, his eyes still widened. Sevrenna's left eye narrowed suspiciously at him and her scowl soon returned in full force.

" _What?_ " She hissed over angrily. Her tone managed to pull him out of his bewilderment and he merely put on a nervous smile as he shook his head dismissively.

"N-Nothing, I'm just... surprised, that's all," the Lord honestly admitted before regaining his frown. "I can't take any credit for it, really," he admitted this time however. She raised an ebony eyebrow at him and tilted her head. "Leo," he began, this time in a light smile. Her eyes widened in recognition, briefly darting over to the leaving Mercenary in response. "He was always smarter than me."

"What do you...?"

"Leo's the one that found your necklace," the Lord admitted honestly as he used his free left hand to point at the small emerald hanging on her neck. She widened her eyes and snapped down at it. "I tried looking for it but I found little to no time to be able to do it." He claimed in his apologetic frown. As she listened to him she could only blink, before slowly lowering her eyes down to the emerald on her neck.

"I guess...," she began almost dreamily, turning the gem over in her fingers. "If more people were like... _you_ two then..."

Selthris' right eyebrow shot up in honest confusion and suspicious curiosity as he listened. As if fearing his response however, the hard-faced Swordmaster regained her scowl and marched along abruptly forward before gently smacking his chest with her back-fist.

"Thanks." He heard her say before swiftly continuing on to follow the other three. Selthris turned to watch her in a curious frown, blinking as he did so. Numerous things went through his head; why was the necklace so dear to her?

Family heirloom maybe?

Could be, he thought.

He couldn't help but crack a grin however when he recalled that look on her face not a minute prior.

Was that actual _gratitude_ from Sevrenna?

The woman that _reamed_ him in front of the key members of the alliance that very same morning?

He shook his head in a quiet laugh, growing curious how Leo would react to his lovely gesture. Briefly shutting and re-opening his eyes in dismissal, he walked forward after the disappearing group, a strange and funny feeling welling up from within him.


	7. Confrontation at Farrador Castle

**Chapter 6: Confrontation at Farrador Castle! The Half-Moon's Glower!**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"For Victory" - Fire Emblem IX: Path of Radiance OST.** Scene **1** (First & Second Halves)._

 _**"Alice's Reboot Plan" - Resident Evil Movie OST.** Scene **2** (First Half)._

 _**"Jump Into the Battlefield" - Dynasty Warriors II & III OST. **Scene **3** (First Half)._

 _**"Intrude Into the Battlefield" - Dynasty Warriors Online OST.** Scene **4** (Second Half)._

* * *

 _In the battle at Brookhead Mountain, the Allied forces have managed to overpower the poorly stationed Sohanthian men from both foots of the peak. On Astrid's intelligence, once again, they easily overtake their troops, spread far too thin like butter on bread. While attempting to take the surrounded summit however, Team Three's Sevrenna Voladea puts the squad in jeopardy by foolishly charging the last soldier there; a hulking warrior by the name of 'Dorkoth'. Thankfully however, in saving her life, commander Selthris Vikeruce has finally been given an opportunity to flex his muscles and in utilising his old 'Monarch' mode form, has successfully caught the attention of the usually stoic Swordmaster._

 _Astrid, using her brains and charisma, has managed to turn previously Sohanthian aligned strategist, Talia to their cause, having captured her safely in the battle before the last. With this, they have not only gained reliable intelligence on the Sohanthian forces as they currently are but an accomplished Thunder Mage in her own right._

 _Meanwhile in Sohantha, general Apheia of the Sohanthian forces and her aide, the Armour Knight Alder, opt to leave commander Llewel in charge of the men on Mount Brookhead. Seemingly in every battle that the Alliance take part in, general Apheia mysteriously phases in and out, as if a ghost. In utilising her own intelligence, it would seem she is planning for something... though for what, is anyone's guess._

 _In the Allied main camp atop Mount Brookhead, Astrid gets the men and women together once more to discuss the next battle..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

"I still _can't_ believe she _did_ that," Leo laughed for the umpteenth time in his ever sociable grin, his arms resting care-freely behind his head. "She's _such_ an ice queen." The Mercenary laughed good-naturedly as he walked alongside his lightly smiling comrade.

"Tell me about it," Selthris chuckled in his small agreeing smile. "If it wasn't for your efforts I would never have-"

"Haha, I dunno about _that,_ " the Mercenary interrupted wholeheartedly, grinning as always. He tilted his head in the now curious younger man's direction. "When you put your mind to stuff and I mean _really_ do it... you've done anything," he explained briefly in a softer grin this time, watching the surprised-faced Lord. "If it wasn't for _you_ we wouldn't have won the Burnin' War." The young man added with his growingly confident smirk, briefly unfolding one of his arms to gently poke at his shoulder; a brotherly fist.

"I... guess." Selthris could only laugh very softly in a wan smile, unsure in his agreement.

"Come on," Leo chuckled as he nudged his head upwards to his top left, toward the tent they were walking to. "We'd better not keep 'em waitin'." He claimed before walking on in the flap, leaving him to his brief thoughts. Selthris couldn't help but put on a small smile, this one more genuine as he thought to himself before entering after him.

" _If it wasn't for_ you, _"_ he began over in his mind as he passed the grinning Mercenary to enter the tent, ahead of him. _"I'd have had no friends at all back then."_

* * *

"Welcome you two!" Astrid called out as she shot her head up from the table. The rest of the usual group either sat at the table with her or opted to stand stoic in the corner, like Hawke always did.

"Sorry we're late," Leo apologised with a momentary raise of his left hand in further apology, his eyes temporarily shut in conjunction with his sweating smile. "Getting up in the morning ain't quite as easy as it used to be."

"Come on you ain't _that_ old yet little man!" Gorlin grinned boyishly as he advanced forward to grip the Mercenary in a brotherly headlock. The two struggled comically with one another, Gorlin's laugh and Leo's annoyed grunts eliciting watching laughs from the group.

"It's _my_ fault, not his," Selthris copped to the fault with a similar raise of his hand. They stopped struggling briefly to frown at him and he turned his head to face the rest of the group, attempting to smile as his companion did. "I'm very sorry." He managed to chuckle out before re-opening his eyes. Forcing himself not to widen them in shock however he double-took when he caught the frowning and folded armed Sevrenna watching him from a quiet corner in the room. It was only about a second or so but when she caught his eye she almost immediately averted her gaze.

His eyebrow rose in curiosity when he noticed; was she annoyed at him?

Strange, he thought to himself.

"Well done on yesterday's battle," a voice interrupted his thoughts; the young Aselian king's eyebrows lifted when he hovered his head over to face the source. The masked Hawke stood leaning against the tent wall as she usually did, seemingly frowning behind her mask. "You haven't lost your touch after three years."

A side of his frown upturned into a light grin. "I'm still _no-where_ near as strong as I was back _then,_ " he couldn't help but grin in his chuckling reply. He nodded regardless in gratitude. "But thank you."

"Yes, we remember," Ariella claimed from the table, her robed hands joined as she raised up her head from it. Norman's folded armed frown followed her, ever the stoic silent one. "The 'Vikeruce Monarch Mode', isn't it?" The old woman grinned lightly as she tilted her head. Selthris' eyebrows lifted up in surprise.

I don't remember telling her _that,_ he thought to himself. He swivelled his head 'round to find the nervously chuckling Leo waving back and Selthris found himself shaking his head back at the chatty Mercenary, a small grin of his own.

"Yeah," he finally answered as he turned his eyes back to smile at the old Alchemist. "That's what I called it... if I remember correctly." The Lord claimed as he folded his own arms and frowned, raising his eyes in presumable thought.

"With the black lightning?"

The group turned their attention to the far right corner of the room; Sevrenna stood up from her own folded armed frown and advanced forward to join them. Though she had a hard-edged expression on her face as always, Selthris attempted to smile back at her, placing his own arms at his sides.

"Yeah; that's the one," he confirmed for her in his nod. "What about it?"

"That _definitely_ had an effect on the battle," the Swordmaster claimed as she opted this time to stare unflinchingly back at him. He raised a curious eyebrow as he listened to her. "I've never _seen_ so much strength."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he shot back, this time in a boyish grin. The room seemed to reply back with multiple chattering chuckles before he continued on. "Why, what are you so curious about?"

"No I mean _how_ is it done?" The young woman explained further, this time bringing her hands out to gesture with. "How did you get a power increase of _that_ much?"

"Oh," the Lord murmured back in response, blinking in light surprise. "Hrm," he began, his turn to murmur this time as he re-folded his arms and lowered his head in hard pondering. "I'm... not sure, really," he tried out as he scrunched his face up in thought. "I mean...?"

"I should have known," Leo laughed out from next to the grinning Gorlin. "If you would milady," the Mercenary began again, this time with a grinning and respectful bow. Selthris, initially surprised by his interruption, rolled his silvery eyes in a light grin of his own. "We all know how Aegir's used, right?"

"Of course!" Astrid threw in with a chime in her voice from the table.

"Yep, we've got two types of energy; physical and spiritual," Leo re-explained briefly as he brought up his fingers to emphasise the numbers he spoke of. "Our Aegir helps increase our physical strength and the spiritual side is what happens when we add elements to our powers."

"Hey, this isn't first grade academy class." Hawke heckled over jokingly from the back, a grin behind her mask. Leo regarded her with a grin of his own before continuing with folded arms as he tilted his head at the Lord.

"I reckon you've pulled from your spiritual side of Aegir to access this new buff of yours," the Mercenary spoke honestly in his confident grin. Selthris' blinking and clearly confused frown revealed his transparent lack of knowledge in the situation. "I remember watching you meditating three years ago to achieve it."

Selthris tilted his own head in quiet agreement with the older youth, blinking only once as he did so. "I mean, I figured I'd _have_ to if I wanted to use that Aegir I got."

"What Aegir?" Sevrenna suddenly asked, her eyes darting between the pair. Selthris and Leo stopped talking, and, almost as if fearing continuing they both exchanged an unsure look with one another. Finally however they turned back to shake their heads at her and smiled.

"You wouldn't believe us even if we told you." Selthris attempted to wave the matter off in a light smile and shake of his head. When he found her glaring back at him silently, almost as if to urge him to continue regardless he began to sweat in concern.

What would I _tell_ her?

That I gained access to the _Sorcerer of the Divine Divide's_ Quintessence?

It would just sound absolutely bonkers, he thought.

"We're veering _way_ off topic in any case," Astrid interrupted the pair with a light grin in her voice. Sevrenna's scowling face snapped back to glare at her and she soon averted her gaze. She gave Selthris one more lingering look before walking back to her corner. Silently thankful for the interruption however, Selthris mouthed the words 'thank you' over to her. The Etherthien bound strategist took note of it in a light nod before continuing in her sociable smile. "Let's go over our strategy for today's battle!"

–

 _ **2**_

Jenice sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that morning; as always things were busy and she seemed to be none the wiser.

She would have it no other way.

When a Sohanthian soldier walked through her doorway however, the empress shot up her eyes in an annoyed frown. The two women at her side fanning her opted to stop and she gestured silently for them to continue.

"Enter." She called over as she lay horizontally across her lounger. She reached for another grape and frowned down at the sweating, kneeling soldier.

"Y-Your grace... I come bearing... terrible news," he managed to gasp out. Jenice's eyes rolled in response, already tired of the exchange. "But I _must_ tell-"

" _Just_ begin," the empress interrupted softly but firmly, still opting to placate him with a light smile on her face. When he raised up his amber helmeted head to blink at her he nodded before turning to gesture at the doorway. Sure enough, a group of people sauntered in the room, clearly armed men and a single woman. A man grunted and squeaked, clearly panicked as he was forced in the room in chains and leg-cuffs. Jenice raised a curious eyebrow as she watched the situation unfold before her. "What is _this?_ " She questioned. Responding to her words, the woman in the crew, seemingly leading the small group bowed at her in a frown of her own.

"Empress Sohantha," the woman began in a long bow, lowering her left arm with her gesture before re-raising herself to frown back at her. "General Apheia of the tenth brigade." She introduced herself as; a long haired blonde woman, her hair pulled up into a neat ponytail.

"Oh yes...," Jenice murmured unconvincingly, raising another eyebrow at her as she munched on a grape. "What's all this then?"

"Don't believe her!" The man in chains exclaimed in his shaking stance, his eyes clearly marred from constant crying. "It's all lies!" He called out again before the blue haired Armour Knight behind him smacked him across the head. He grunted as he fell to his knees, dropping his face to the ground in response.

"We managed to catch commander Llewel attempting to escape from Mount Brookhead in clear retreat," Apheia explained very briefly, allowing her brown eyes to hover down to regard the fallen strategist with a sense of disgust. "It would appear the Allied forces have taken the mountain... thanks to his poor deployment skills."

"I'd wondered whether that engagement was still going on...," the empress hummed out aloud as she turned her gaze away from the group nonchalantly. "Why haven't you _stamped_ them out yet?" She groaned over at them impatiently. Though Apheia averted her gaze inadvertently a single cough was all she needed to regain her composure; she turned her eye back on her empress and responded.

"It would appear that the Allied forces have been underestimated," the General spoke in her business-like tone, frowning as before. "Consistently." She added with a narrow of her chestnut eyes.

"Hmph," Jenice muttered out as she raised her head up at the group. "Where are they to attack next?"

Apheia quickly exchanged her nodding frown with the similar-expressed Armour Knight watching their prisoner before she quickly re-faced her.

"Farrador Castle, your grace."

"Then you are to bring whatever men you can spare to its defence," she shot back, quick as can be as she reached for yet another grape. Apheia's face remained unchanged as she watched and listened in her firm frown. "General Haffed is overlooking Farrador Castle and could do with the backup."

"Shall I also be-?"

"Yes," the empress interrupted unflinchingly, frowning back at her. "General Haffed shall be issuing your orders; you are to report directly to him. Do I make myself clear?"

Though Apheia's breathing seemed to change to a ragged one she bowed in respect.

"Yes, of course your grace," she responded with another bow before re-raising herself to frown back at her. "Then may I-?"

Jenice merely frowned back at her as she used her remaining free left hand to wave them away.

"What of the prisoner?" The blue-haired Armour Knight called over suddenly from the front. All eyes turned to the whimpering and quiet former commander Llewel, his body shaking with the binding chains he wore.

"Kill him," Jenice merely threw in with an uncaring frown. "Sohantha has no room for failures."

"At your leave, your grace." Apheia replied in a final respectful bow before turning to leave; the blue-haired Armour Knight nodded before grunting as he yanked on the chain to pull the whimpering Llewel away. The soldier that had initially came in with them as well turned to leave after them, leaving Jenice alone with her aides in her throne room. Her eyebrows lifted as she raised a grape to her mouth, as if suddenly sensing something else in the room. She placed it down and narrowed her eyes forward.

"Leave me," she ordered suddenly. The two fan holding women at her sides exchanged a sudden look before swiftly placing their tools down and fast-walking toward the exit after the other group. Finally now seemingly truly alone, Jenice let slip a small grin on her face as her eyes instinctively darted as far behind her as they could without switching her head around. "You may approach now." She spoke over softly in her low smirk. Behind the shadows a similarly smirking figure walked out toward her. It stopped just short of the sofa she lounged upon and though the figure was tall enough to seem imposing, its posture seemed to indicate a more questionable sort of person.

"Empress Sohantha," the shadow began, its voice a seeming baritone, seemingly male. "You seem to be doing well."

"Not as well as I'd have liked," Jenice claimed as she reached into her trusty bowl on her right once more. "The Allied forces are still pushing through ours in spite of our higher numbers."

The shadow seemed to grin behind its cloudy features. "So... things are going according to plan then...?"

A similar corner of Jenice's mouth upturned as he spoke. "Yes."

"Excellent," the man behind her grinned in his own reply. "You know how the next one is to turn out... don't you?"

"Yes," she began briefly before narrowing her eyes at the doorway ahead of her. "They will attack Farrador Castle and rout what forces we have there remaining."

"Anything else...?"

"Your son shall be picked off in the midst of their attempt, debilitating the Allied forces' morale," she explained further with a growing smirk of her own. Her eyes hovered to her right this time, as if to grin back at him. "That about the size of it?"

"Yes," he chuckled behind her. "Very good."

She reached for another grape and popped it into her mouth, frowning forward. "Your predictions have been frightening accurate thus far...," she began as she furrowed her delicate brow, as if in thought. "I wonder how you know all of this...?"

The shadowy figure merely remained silent, as if offering her time to ruminate further.

"To think...," she chuckled in her grin and the shadow, this time, began to march forward into the dim light offered in the room. "That you would turn on your only remaining son...," the empress smirked as she stared forward before slowly edging her eyes up to the man in question. Her smirk soon became an open-toothed one and, as the man followed her, he stepped into the light, revealing his well-kept silvery hair. "Sathryon."

* * *

"Just as you predicted," Talia murmured out as she frowned forward from her position at the main camp. "There's not many soldiers there to defend... and I don't think they realise..."

"Their main weakness," Edgar spoke up for her. He stood next to her, his arms contrastingly folded as he narrowed his eyes forward. His eyes narrowed forward to the group's left at the floodgates and the suspiciously large crowd of men assigned to it. "Even with as many soldiers..."

"It's exposed," Astrid finished for him in a confident grin, standing up from her knelt position and from examining the moving map below her. "As long as we focus on _that,_ we'll win the day."

"What's the word; we stickin' to our original plan?" Gorlin grinned as he approached the group with his ever reliable Close-Range Specialist squad. He cracked his knuckles alongside his similar-faced comrade Kay; she imitated him in her grin and the two shared their confident expression together.

"Yes," Astrid answered him with her own grin as she 'rounded her blonde head around to face him in an agreeing nod. She swiftly swivelled her eyes around to narrow her eyes at the forces ahead holed up towards the large castle. "If all goes well... this battle will be won by dinner time!"

"Don't get cocky," Hawke frowned from the front, stepping forward. Sabine, Alaric and even Talia all walked on to join her, forming Team One. "If we even let the slightest misstep in, you'll _all_ be eating your last meal here, today."

"Though she speaks it with a sharpened tongue...," Alaric began lowly as he grinned alongside her, ripping out his steel axe from behind him. "She is right all the same!"

"Let's just _do_ this!" Sevrenna exclaimed excitedly and impatiently as she marched forward to join them, unsheathing her steel sword as she did. "The more time we waste the more _they_ can prepare!"

"She's right," her team's captain agreed with her; he stepped forward, frowning firmly at the enemy forces ahead. "The faster we attack them now, the quicker we can deny them any reinforcements." Selthris finished with a hard-eyed narrowed scowl forward.

"I can get behind _that,_ " Astrid nodded in her own grin before turning back 'round to face the front. "Then give the order... commander!"

Selthris' scowl grew worse; he glowered firmly as he yanked the Hakai from its sheath on his hip. With a single, final twirl he shot forward at a blinding speed. "All available units _ATTACK!_ "

–

 _ **3**_

Pyrian's eyes widened and he held back a gasp before shooting up his steel lance in defence; a super-fast slash struck swiftly at him in an overhead strike. The swiping swordsman finally materialised above him; a surprisingly large and muscled man wearing the indigo colours of the Allied forces.

Faster than he expected.

"'Ello there mate!" The large man grinned down at him, an almost mocking Sohanthian accent to his lips. The attempt reddened Pyrian's already cold cheeks and he let loose an effort filled growl as he pushed him forward in their weapon struggle, allowing him enough room to counter-attack with a defensive spin. The sword-wielding warrior was forced back in a defensive back-flip recovery; as he landed in a light grunt he spun the one steel sword he carried expertly in his hands, merely grinning back at him. Pyrian's eyes narrowed angrily at him, his face scrunching in suspicion before he opened his mouth to reply.

"You're of the alliance, that much is certain...," the Halberdier began as he frowned forward. "What is your name?!" He demanded over loudly. The large man merely chuckled and spun around in place expertly; as if responding to him, an alarming colour of silver suddenly leapt up from his armour. "What the-?!" Pyrian gasped, taking a step back in concern of a counter. Fortunately however, the silver – clearly blades of steel swords – all dropped back down to meet their wielder; his hulking opponent. Lightly and yet tightly hanging around every possible crevice on his outer body were the steel swords he had tossed up; all seven of them.

Pyrian had never seen anything like it before.

"Sir!"

The irked Halberdier snapped his head around to find an unnamed soldier standing behind him, clearly concerned.

"What is it?!" He exclaimed back in impatient annoyance.

"It's not just him; look!"

And he did.

When he found his battalion under attack by the rest of this man's forces his eyes widened.

How did they suddenly slip past their detection?

And all before their men were to receive a reinforcement buff...

"Name's Gorlin!"

Pyrian snapped his amber helmeted head 'round in shock to find the grinning large man's words lightly muffled beneath one of the many swords he carried; this one in his mouth.

"And your bodies are what's gonna end this battle!" The wild swordsman's words called over threateningly. Pyrian's eyes narrowed and he widened them as he swiped his steel lance horizontally, as if for effect.

"Then _come on!_ "

Needing no further goading; the grinning Gorlin gnawed on his final hilt before suddenly leaping up to descend downward on his new opponent. Pyrian shot his steel lance upward to block the incoming overhead attack; steel against steel clashed noisily and the grunting Halberdier slashed back in reply, forcing Gorlin to back-flip deftly in momentary retreat. Swiftly spinning 'round in place however, Gorlin's grin persevered himself and he spun forward with a series of low aimed slashes.

Pyrian gasped as he used his steel lance once more to block the low attacks before widening his eyes as he was suddenly faced forward; the surprisingly acrobatic Gorlin leapt up on a handstand and used the swords hanging around his legs to swipe at him continually. Opting instead to use his shield, Pyrian grunted continuously as the attacks from his opponent increased steadily; Gorlin spun his body around on the ground with merely a _single_ arm.

Who _was_ this man?!

Riding on his seemingly high morale, Gorlin suddenly stopped spinning and used the ground to leap up off from. Widening his eyes as he watched, Pyrian struggled to raise his shield upwards to block the incoming attack...

… and he paid for it.

Opting instead to shoot his steel lance up in defence, his right eye was slashed at behind his lance's poor wall, sending him spiralling to the ground after his grinning enemy. His one good eye soon widened in sudden remembrance to his opponent's advantage of position; the Halberdier grunted as he used his _own_ athletics and his shield hand to back-flip in recovery. As he landed, his left eye re-widened again when he caught the fast-pursuing steel swords from high into the air.

With no time left to defend, Pyrian exclaimed an effort-filled yell as he leapt desperately to his right in a rolling evasion; as he rolled horizontally to his right, he skid in recovery, scowling angrily at the landing Gorlin. Gorlin grinned seemingly eternally and, as he landed, he cartwheeled effortlessly in plucking up the swords he had tossed downward in pursuit and in doing so, pursued the retreating form of his enemy once more.

Damn him!

As Gorlin shot toward him; a bullet from a steel ballista, instead of opting to _defend_ this time... Pyrian attempted to evade him entirely. With a bleeding scowl the Halberdier leaned his body very carefully to his right, pulling back all sides of his body as far as he could without actually falling. Time slowed down for the pair; Gorlin's constant grin passed him in a silvery and indigo blur and, as it did, so did the light slashes at his armour and face. Pyrian scrunched his eyes shut as he felt the blades very lightly draw blood from his face and time finally regained its flow.

Now!

Pyrian roared in effort as he spun around and sunk his steel lance into the ground, Aegir charging through it. Gorlin's seemingly endless grin was finally lost to him when he watched the man's Quintessence course through the weapon. The Coremondian officer snapped his head at his destination; a large earthen and rock wall obviously conjured up from the pre-existing ground below it. With no brakes on his body, Gorlin grunted as he smashed against the surprisingly durable wall; though it broke noisily, the Coremondian Nomad Trooper was sent spiralling and rolling through the air.

As Pyrian watched in a momentary shocked glance he couldn't help but take note of the man's admirable resolve; not a single sword dropped from any crevice on his body.

Impressive, he thought.

"But not impressive _enough!_ " The Halberdier laughed boisterously as he dove upward in his own pursuit. Gorlin's eyes watched him in a widened frown and, finally, the spear-wielding Sohanthian shot through the Coremondian with a sudden stab attack. Like an arrow from a bow, he phased through the wide-eyed Gorlin and skid across the ground in recovery and it was his turn to grin this time. He remained locked in his stabbing pose, his steel lance extended forward; blood sat at the tip of his blade and, as he snapped his head back to grin, he re-opened his mouth. "Now _die!_ "

Even as he did so however, his eyes widened in further shock at his find.

The wall with which he had managed to counter-attack with lay in strewn parts all around the area where he attacked with. No sign of Gorlin's body or even the seven swords he so swiftly employed.

"What in the-?" The Halberdier murmured out disbelievingly, his brow furrowing in thought. Suddenly however it seemed to click within his mind; the man gasped as he snapped his head over to his steel lance to inspect the blood on it.

Barely anything at all for the wound he had tried to inflict on him.

A substitution?!

And with his _own_ materials!

Finally noticing his presence, albeit too late, Pyrian shot his wide-eyed scowl skyward to find the widely grinning Gorlin plunging down upon him, all seven swords at the ready. The Sohanthian Halberdier's eyes shot wide open once more but this time in a different kind of shock.

"NO!"

 _CLANG_

His angry and defeated call was lost to the shield with which he shot up to defend himself with; as Gorlin's swords plunged down with him their dominant force managed to split the shield into two. The Coremondian swordsman grinned further in his knowing chuckle as he swept the man's helpless legs when he landed. Unable to do much but gasp in widened eyes and use his now free left hand to make ready to grasp at the ground below him, Pyrian shot his wide-eyed horror-filled gaze forwards and had to hold back from gasping when he did.

Oh no, he thought.

With a final grin, the Coremondian captain laughed as he used his Aegir to shoot forward his wind-infused steel swords like arrows from a bow. Easily piercing the Sohanthian's amber armour with the Quintessence buffs, Pyrian's eyebrow lifted up as he was sent slowly backward through the air.

Six of Gorlin's steel swords shot into his undefended flesh.

Time finally regained its flow once more and Pyrian could only gurgle out a pained cough as he landed roughly, rolling across the rocky ground, his steel lance clanging noisily to the ground with him.

Laying on his side, Pyrian's body shook uncontrollably from the pain in short shakes before, finally he coughed out a large amount of blood to the ground next to him. As if the command for his body; it allowed him to roll to his right, facing the sky above him with scrunched shut eyes. The sound of yet more noisy clanging forced him to re-open his eyes but with little strength left in his body he could only swivel his head 'round to the source.

The final sword with which Gorlin carried after sending the rest of them into his enemy was dropped carelessly to the ground; clearly the noise from earlier. Pyrian couldn't help but grow a small grin on his face as he turned his shut-eyed expression skyward.

"W-Which country are you... from...?" He managed out in pained, short gasps. Blood trickled from both corners of his mouth; a clear sign of his dire condition.

Gorlin stood grinning over him, casting his looming shadow as he did. "Coremond." He merely answered with.

Pyrian's grin could only grow further in response to his words. "I sh-should have k-known...," the Halberdier chuckled in his shut-eyed grin. He re-opened his eyes to smirk up at the morning sky above him, defeated. "The _one_ country I always looked d-down on..."

"How ya like _them_ apples?" Gorlin grinned back down at him, arms folding. "Don't look down on Coremondian swordsmanship!"

Pyrian's own grin soon reverted to a mere tired, pained and fatigued smile; the Halberdier re-shut his eyes with it.

"Do it..."

"Do it?"

"Kill me already...," he managed out before suddenly coughing out; the cough seemed to stimulate his eyes. He re-opened them again but this time slowly and scowled with it. "D-Do it...!" He hissed up at the folded armed Nomad Trooper.

Though Gorlin blinked down at him cluelessly for a second, he swiftly shut his eyes in another grin. "No can do!"

Pyrian's own eyes widened in shock.

As if responding to his former opponent's wordless bewilderment, Gorlin re-opened his mouth to continue on. "Our commander's given orders to save as many of you as possible," the Coremondian claimed, eliciting a brow-furrowed stare from the fallen Halberdier. Gorlin chuckled in his next words. "You lucky son of a bitch!" The Nomad Trooper grinned sociably in his shut-eyed expression.

The wide-eyed Pyrian could only laugh as loudly as he could; a low and pained baritone to go with the similarly low bass of Gorlin's chuckles.

* * *

" _Yo! Good news on the floodgates! They're now opened!"_

Astrid grinned in her acknowledging nod. _"Thank you Gorlin!"_ The young strategist thought with briefly shut eyes and in a grin of her own. She broke their connection with a lower of her index finger before swiftly viewing the canvas of her magical map.

"Isn't _this_ around the time you'd send those hair-brained youngsters on their way?" Ariella's voice came from the Medical Squad in the back. She approached her with a light grin and Astrid returned it with one of her own.

"Yeah!" She exclaimed back before swiftly snapping her eyes back down on the moving pieces of the map below her. "But they're already on the frontlines!"

"Things are going rather well...," Norman murmured as he joined the pair of women, arms folded as always. "Aren't you worried?"

"About what?!" Astrid laughed back at him excitedly as she shot her pumped fist down in a gesture. "This'll be the _third_ consecutive battle in a row that we overpower the _empire!_ "

Ariella's own grin was lost to her however as she turned to exchange a similarly unsure look with her listening aide. Astrid's cheer gradually dropped from her face as she darted her eyes between them doubtfully.

"Wh-What? What is it?" She pressed them.

"It is... probably nothing dear," Ariella smiled back down at her unconvincingly. The listening Advisor's blonde eyebrow shot up in confusion as she awaited further answering. "It's..."

"Just a feeling, right?" Norman confirmed for the old Alchemist. Ariella turned to nod in a firm frown of her own, silently agreeing with him. Astrid's eyes narrowed at them thoughtfully before she turned back to view the canvas below her.

She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary...

Her eyes widened however and she had to stop herself from gasping when her vision caught the sight of it.

Not _her_ surely? Not _again?_

Why was Sevrenna breaking formation?!

"No!" The Advisor frantically exclaimed, eyes widening as she snapped her head back to the rear guard. A Halberdier walked forward in response and bowed in polite respect. "Send the rest of our troops out there to fill that gap!"

The man looked unsure; his brow furrowed down at the young woman. "B-But miss if we do _that-_ "

" _No_ buts!" Astrid interrupted urgently, swiping her arm through the air for effect. "Do it!"

"Yes sir!"

With that, the Halberdier immediately turned on his heel faster than he had approached with, seemingly moving toward the rest of the men in his unit.

"What's going on?" Theffania called from the back as she approached the majority of women. She wore protective gloves and an apron stained lightly with blood, her hands raised upwards.

"Hopefully nothing _too_ serious...," Ariella murmured in response as she faced her before re-turning to look back at the frontlines. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke. "But things may not go according to plan."

"Yes they will!" Astrid declared hotly from her knelt position, frowning hard at the surprised trio before slowly turning back to bite her nail worriedly at the map below her. "Yes they will..." She repeated for a second time and muffled through her teething.

–

 _ **4**_

"Voladea!"

Sevrenna's eyes shot wide open and, regardless of her current position, she swivelled immediately around to face the source of the interruption of her attacks. Staring up at a figure, blocked by the sun she could only squint heavily up. Judging by the voice it was a man.

A man she knew all too well.

She effortlessly swerved her head to the side to dodge an incoming soldier's lancing before swiftly kneeing him in the lower stomach region. Her eyes never left the black figure sitting atop castle Farrador and she opted to run forward ahead of the rest of her comrades after dealing with the poor Sohanthian.

"Sevrenna?" Selthris called over his shoulder behind her, his eye half-way turned to look for her.

"She's gone!" Leo exclaimed in growing panic as he watched from his own side on the battlefield.

"Shit!" Selthris hissed out, swivelling his body 'round to face her disappearing direction fully. "Not again...!" He managed out before taking off directly after her.

"Teens, Ed!" Leo called over his own shoulder, a single bead of sweat across his forehead as he did so. The Axe Fighter in question frowned as he turned from finishing off an enemy soldier, eyebrow raising. The Pegasus Knight similarly hovered down to join the pair of young men, curious. "We _gotta_ follow, now!" The Mercenary ordered out urgently, eyes widened. When Edgar and Tina both quickly drew their eyes north to watch their sprinting commander they both nodded simultaneously. The Pegasus Knight hovered down to allow the pair of young men to board Archibald. When they were seated she immediately took off after them.

Sevrenna's hard-eyed scowl never left the sun-blocked shadow resting on the castle above her; she effortlessly batted away any attempt at her life, be they arrows or lance. The adept Swordmaster finally began to come within viewing distance of the far-off figure but before she could even inspect him beyond the view of the cold sun a sudden glare of amber armour made her snap her gaze back down to her front.

A blonde woman in perfect posture stood staring back at her, arms folded. The confident smirk on her face suggested that she was both on a higher rank than the rest of the army she'd been dealing with and that she knew far more than she seemed to.

"You must be the young Voladea," the blonde woman grinned over at Sevrenna, her arms still folded. The rough Swordmaster merely growled back at her, scrunching a side of her face up in quiet fury. Sevrenna noted her face from memory; the Halberdier that accompanied the empress up to that five kingdom summit on Etherthien. "Do _we_ have a treat for _you._ " She finished in a furrowing of her facial expression; her grin narrowing with it. Sevrenna could only dart her eyes across to the two men at her sides; a blue-haired Armour Knight and an older-type man, seemingly the enemy commander of the battle.

"Wha-?!" The Swordmaster muttered out in response, a side of her own face squashing in a suspicious scowl.

As if to answer her very question, the figure from before finally dropped to the ground and with a magnificent resounding crash that made even their _own_ troops wobble ahead of them. Sevrenna grunted as she attempted to keep her feet steady however her comfortable scowl soon lost form when she saw a sight before her she never thought she'd see so soon.

Dressed in a similar amber shaded armour, as different to how she remembered him, it was him regardless; the grinning Half-Moon Murderer stood directly ahead of her.

Her nerves froze when she watched him smirk over at her as sadistically as he had done those long ten years ago.

" _Why can't I move?!"_ She thought to herself in growing panic, her teeth gritting behind her previously bewildered expression.

Without uttering even a single word between them all; the short blonde-haired man suddenly shot forward, unsheathing a longsword of some kind on his hip.

Her arms uncharacteristically shakily jumped to her steel sword to prepare herself but by the time she'd take it out, she'd be too late.

 _DROOM_

Like a lightning bolt itself, it ripped the ground in and between the shocked young woman and the wide-eyed blonde man. When the dust soon receded Sevrenna brought her free arm down to catch sight of the shaking Selthris' long silver ponytail ahead of her.

"I... made...," Selthris' growling voice began from the front as he struggled with the wide-eyed smirking mad-man ahead of him. Finally however he managed to break the hold with a deft swipe of the Hakai. "It!" He exclaimed as he did so; the blonde warrior merely smirked as he was sent back-flipping uncharacteristically gracefully through the air, skidding across the ground with which he defaced earlier with his landing. Selthris gasped continually from the effort he exuded to catch up with his older comrade, a single bead of sweat dropping from his forehead.

"Yo!"

The entire group turned their heads skyward to find the frowning pair of Edgar and Leo dropping down, similarly gracefully, seemingly delivered by the Pegasus Knight above them. Tina soon followed the grunting pair of young men though instead opted to hover lightly down in a frown of her own with her mount.

"Are you _nuts?_ " Leo hissed over as he recovered from the drop, advancing on the similarly scowling Sevrenna. "You broke formation! _Again!_ " He hissed out lowly; clearly angered by the young woman. When Sevrenna opened her mouth to respond, no doubt in anger herself, Selthris spoke up for her.

"Just... give her a break, Leo," Selthris gasped from the front as he twirled the Hakai 'round his right arm, still recovering from his exertion. The rest of the team turned their eyes over to him, surprised. "It wasn't long ago...," he started again as he narrowed his own eyes at the smirking and silent watching blonde-haired Half-Moon standing before him. "That I was the same as she was."

His words seemingly rung true; Leo's chestnut brown eyes averted away in reluctant agreement. Edgar briefly shut his own, as if in remembrance and Tina nodded quietly to herself. Sevrenna could only exchange her half-angry, half-curious looks with the rest of the team before she was soon pulled from her thoughts.

"Selthris Vikeruce!" The blonde woman called from the front; Selthris' silvery eyes darted over to her in recognition.

" _General Apheia... was it...?"_ He thought to himself in a thoughtful furrow of his brow.

"Winner of Naerith's _pathetic_ 'Burning War'." She continued in her low grin, her arms folded and her stance somewhat tilted to the side. Selthris' eyebrow rose up in curiosity.

Where was she going with this?

"You think you can kill Half-Moon as easily as you did Silvermoon?" She suddenly added, earning a wide-eyed frown from the young Lord.

The listening Leo grunted in scowling recognition; Edgar and Tina watched carefully, as if also knowing. Sevrenna's own eyes darted between the ever smirking Apheia and the standing Selthris. He opted to remain quiet as he stood up straight, leaning his own body to the side; his sword hanging behind him dutifully. His silvery eyes soon darted to the chuckling blonde man bent over in a crouching position next to her.

This was 'Half-Moon'?

His memories of rumours in Sohantha quickly resurfaced when he heard the name.

"Surely you _know_ who this is, don't you?" General Apheia grinned forward in her folded armed stance, drawing a visible listening scowl from Sevrenna.

"This is _pointless,_ " the older, brown-haired General moaned from the close-by entrance of Farrador Castle. Apheia and the blue-haired Armour Knight's eyes darted in his direction, low scowls immediately on their faces. "We should attack them _now_ and rout their pathetic forces." He criticised angrily.

" _Allow_ me to do this, general Haffed and you will receive the greatest glowing report anyone has _ever_ received from a fellow officer in Sohantha," Apheia urgently and quickly explained as she turned her haughty scowl down on the brown-haired General. Her words quickly had an effect on the man; he merely muttered a few words to himself before swiftly turning his head away from the group. She smirked in satisfaction before re-turning to face the group. "Good... now...," she began lowly; the listening Team Three stared back in cold silence, a mix of worry and adrenaline coursing through their veins as they awaited her next words. A corner of her smirk grew as she narrowed her eyes forward. "Kill them."

* * *

As if triggered by her very words, the blonde-haired Half-Moon Murderer let loose an excited shrill through the air as he leapt forward at his first target. His breath regained and his Aegir restored however, Selthris shot the Hakai diagonally across his body in defence; when the slender man slashed his long katana into his enemy's Selthris gasped as he was sent skidding backwards from the sheer force he commanded.

" _Incredible!"_ The Lord thought to himself in a sudden grit-toothed widen of his eyes.

As if preying on his momentary doubts and fears, Half-Moon shrieked again in growing laughter as he swept his feet with shocking speed. Losing his footing, Selthris grunted as he tried using his left hand to catch himself but it was too late; the Lord was sent pained and sailing across the air. Like a shooting star through the sky he crashed into a horde of enemy soldiers.

Half-Moon turned his head to the sky and erupted his Aegir visibly in an effort-filled and excited whoop of joy. When he caught movement at the corner of his eye he snapped his katana up to his right and turned his grin on the fast descending form of the frowning Edgar.

 _CRASH_

Perhaps utilising his earth elemental Quintessence, the surprisingly fast Axe Fighter's steel axe's impact caused the ground not only to quake but to eat up from the sheer strength they both commanded. As if uncaring from his new opponent's interruption however, Half-Moon laughed again in a child-like tone of voice as he sunk his free left fist into the young man's lower stomach. Widening his eyes in a shocking display of pain, Edgar's grip of his attack and even his weapon began to thin as he was pushed back into the air above him.

" _One hand?!"_ The Axe Fighter could only run through his mind with when he caught the defending mad-man's katana arm with his full-force strike. He didn't have long to ruminate any further for the grinning Half-Moon leapt upwards in a spinning slash attack, sending him similarly sailing through the air. Half-Moon's eyes darted to his left only to find the sky-plummeting Tina poking at him with her steel lance.

He back-flipped in evasion only to grin further in twisted delight as he shot up his katana to block the next incoming sword strike, this time from his previously undefended side. Leo stood on the opposite end, a hard-edged frown drawn across his gritted expression. As Tina gave pursuit however, Half-Moon began to laugh once more as he athletically and even scarily cartwheeled away in defence, easily blocking and parrying their chasing pokes, stabs and slashes.

Finally however, it was time to counter-attack; Half-Moon's laugh cut short when he landed safely to his front and when Leo carelessly attempted to stab at the man, he parried the attack, leaving him open. The brown-haired Mercenary's eyes went wide open in terror, allowing Half-Moon to smash his boot into the poor young man's face. Leo exclaimed a yell of similar pain to his comrades as he was sent careering into more Sohanthian soldiers behind him. When Tina caught up to her enemy however she shot her steel lance down in a scowling stab attack.

Half-Moon grinned as he slammed his sword down upon her steel lance, sending the Pegasus Knight and her very mount stumbling forward after him. With a low, knowing chuckle the blonde serial killer grasped at the wooden center of her weapon and pulled her gasping body off the pegasus, drawing them closer together. The teal-haired young woman's eyes widened and she couldn't help from sweating as she exchanged her horror-filled expression with his. The blonde man's menacing and glowering smirk chilled her to the bone.

Before he could deal the inevitable finishing blow however, a super-fast spiralling flash of steel from behind her made his eye dart in its direction. He chuckled lowly and seemingly knowingly as he merely tossed the grunting Tina to the side, as if she were mere trash. The flash of steel soon clashed with Half-Moon's own and he grinned as it did; the flash wore off the and spinning Sevrenna slashed at him as she passed him by in her pursuit, skidding across the ground. She shot up her scowl to face him as she landed and the blonde murderer merely gave vent to boisterous laughter, even bordering on unstable as he dove at her, katana at the ready.

" _DEVOUR!_ "

A single word finally escaped his deranged and, as he clashed again with the hate-faced Sevrenna, she leant back in a second skid; defending against his rough but effective diagonal slash attack. The pair struggled for what felt like _hours_ before, finally, the wide-grinning Half-Moon managed to push through her defence. Sevrenna gasped as her steel sword was sent spinning out of her control, spiralling across the ground roughly. She snapped her eyes over to it, a bead of sweat following after it on her forehead. Her eyes briefly darted back to face the laughing Half-Moon looming over her; a fatal danger indeed. She swerved her head to her abrupt right, just barely avoiding the unstable warrior's wild diagonal swipe. Her teeth grit roughly as she spun her body around in conjunction with her swerving, attempting to turn herself back the way her weapon flew.

Her only salvation.

She turned her quick spin into a deft side-flip, landing on her sword's hilt; utilising her athleticism and a very small dose of Aegir she managed to send her steel sword twirling rapidly upwards. Similarly spiralling around in place in a show of her quick-footing she grabbed the blade urgently by its hilt; comfortable and safe. In a narrow of her eyes she twisted her body around one last time and even pointed the blade forward at the last known position of her enemy.

Unfortunately for her, however, her long-hated enemy proved to be far too fast.

Even for her.

The wide-smirk expressed serial killer merely leapt toward her; no subtlety and strategy to his form, just speed and strength. Sevrenna's eyes widened, her scowl swiftly falling to make way for the first defeated, open-mouthed frown in years.

" _No..."_ She could only think to herself in widened eyes, seemingly unable to do much of anything in return to his perfect, sailing form.

 _DROOM_

Shocking her a _second_ time, the silver thunder bolt clearly belonging to the similarly lightning fast Selthris reappeared just ahead of her. Her eyes widened for a second time in the space of a few seconds and she even gasped. However all feeling of immediate relief washed over when she caught the sight of the man's katana protruding from the Lord's back. Freshly squeezed crimson life-juice remained on the end of its blade and Selthris sagged forward in a wide-eyed gasp of his own.

"NO!"

Sevrenna could barely hear Leo's muffled call from the already deafening din of the Sohanthian soldiers. Her attention had finally been caught by something other than her goal all these years. She watched the gasping Selthris lean further into the stab that had caught him unaware, her eyes widened and a strange sense of horror jolted up her spine.

" _I've seen worse than this... why can't I_ stomach _this?!_ " The hardy Swordmaster could only wonder to herself as she watched in frozen terror, wincing as she did so.

Finally ripping the watching and entranced small group of people, Half-Moon chuckled lowly as he mercilessly yanked the blade out of his newly-formed wound. Selthris coughed out a painful-sounding gurgle of blood as he dropped the Hakai to the ground with a noisy clang. The young Lord soon dropped with it, clutching at his stomach roughly as he fell to the ground. The watching Sohanthian crowd had begun to stop fighting entirely, opting to turn and cheer; their morale rocketing from witnessing their enemy commander's defeat.

" _CONSUME!_ " Half-Moon roared in a repeating wide, open-mouthed grin as he sent his fast-forward charging palm down toward his now helpless enemy. Sevrenna's eyes widened in growing concern when she saw the rippling and fiery Quintessence building around his body. She knew all too well what he was planning; with that revelation feeling finally and suddenly shot through her nerves. The Swordmaster wasted no further time in attempting to stop him; she leapt at him in a new-found scowl. Though she was not confident she could stop him after her earlier sortie with him, she opted to try anyway; she exchanged her hate-filled and desperate face with the mad-smirking face of the Sohanthian butcher.

Before her doubts could be fully realised, a loudly whistling arrow behind him made the pair's eyes dart toward it; Half-Moon growled in a seeming mix of dissatisfaction and impatience before swiftly bounding in evasion to his side. Sevrenna merely swerved her body to the side when she landed, watching the huge fire infused arrow whiz past her at super-speed, clearly intended for the missing serial killer.

"Now then...," a voice called forward, cutting through the air's silence. A surprisingly large number of the Allied forces sauntered through the defeated members of the Sohanthians behind them, including members from Team One and Two. The ever masked Sniper leading them seemed to glare past the disguise she wore in tandem with the bow she lowered from her grip. "What's taking so long?" Hawke called over calmly and quietly, her eyes glaring forward at the similarly scowling Half-Moon.

–

 _ **5**_

Half-Moon growled something unintelligibly over at the intruders as if he were a feral animal being cornered by its pursuers. Hawke's eyes narrowed thinly at the man, immediately recognising the demolished battlefield around him.

He's definitely a threat, she thought to herself.

"Yo, granny," Gorlin whispered from her side, edging his body closer to hers so they could speak in private. Though she did not move her eyes from him she lightly moved her masked head to her left in waiting for him to continue. "We should probably help _those_ two...," the normally loud Nomad Trooper advised quietly under his breath, nodding his own head forward. The Sniper allowed her eyes briefly dart in the large man's pointing direction, soon noticing what he was referring to. "Just sayin'." The man chuckled good-naturedly this time as he pulled his head back in his grin, re-facing his enemy ahead of himself.

Selthris lay in a defeated, bloody heap in the scowling Sevrenna's arms, seemingly unconscious.

"Fair point." The Sniper murmured out knowingly.

"No! Boss!" Kay's call came from Gorlin's back; the dismounted Cavalier leapt forward, presumably to assist the fallen Lord. A single look from Hawke was enough to assist Gorlin in grabbing the back of her clothing. She gasped and growled as she attempted to pull herself forward off of his grip. The Nomad Trooper's own grin was also dropped in favour of a hard frown of his own however and he shook his head down at her. "Why?!" She exclaimed angrily as she 'rounded a new-found glower to face him with.

"You _know_ why Kay," Hawke replied for her fellow captain, eyes narrowed eternally at the eerily staring and growling Half-Moon. "You break formation, you bring us down with you." She explained very briefly, as if reiterating the basics. Kay grunted as she as she set back down; the boisterous blonde stared forward in her own frustrated glare.

"I _know_ it is difficult to stay your hand, Kay," Ulric spoke up as he approached via his horse. He dismounted soon after however before pacing forward to join the fast growing group. "But we have no choice," the Paladin agreed with in a low tone of voice as he also narrowed his eyes at their low-stance positioned enemy. "This one... could quite possibly take our entire unit alone."

"Y-Yes," Talia nodded in quiet agreement behind the veteran officer. He turned his eye around to face the small blonde strategist; the formerly Sohanthian Thunder Mage walked on to join them once more. "If memory and intelligence both serve... then this is..."

"The Half-Moon Murderer!"

The group turned their eyes skyward to find the gasping Garrus floating down to join them on his dragon.

"Half-Moon _what?_ " Kay shot back as she swerved 'round to raise a curious eyebrow at the Dragon Rider. They were interrupted again however but this time by a closer comrade.

"M-Murderer...," Leo managed in as he limped into the scene, his left arm gripping his limping right. The bloody-faced Mercenary nodded his head in the growling and animalistic Sohanthian's direction. "He's an infamous Sohanthian serial killer." The youth finished from stammering out his words, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the growling man. A woman's chuckle brought the gasping group's attention back to the front; general Apheia grinned back at them, still staring at them with her arms ever folded.

"That's correct!" The Halberdier shot over in her superior grin before continuing. "At least _one_ of you in Aselia knows of his sordid reputation I see..." She chuckled as she narrowed her eyes at the battle-weary and grit-toothed young man.

"Even _I_ have not heard of this... Half-Moon," Alaric spoke up as he approached the group with a hard-eyed frown set on the enemy. "When...?"

"Years ago," Leo gasped out in answer from his earlier fatigue. "He targeted a family in Aselia Castle Town ten odd years ago, some think at random." The Mercenary explained as briefly as he could however, when he was finished with his small speech, the members of the Allied forces turned their eyes to the unusually silent but usually scowling Sevrenna, as if adding up the dots.

"He was rumoured to be stronger even than Naerith's 'Silvermoon' and Aselia's 'Oceiros'," Talia added from the back in further explanation for her comrade, drawing on her Sohanthian knowledge. "He's _very_ powerful; something in his bloodline that allows him to draw from other people's Aegir," she continued on as she shook her head in narrow-eyed thought, watching the slow-smirking Half-Moon. " _Don't_ let him touch you, whatever any of you do."

"Easy for _you_ to say," Gorlin chuckled contrastingly as he tilted his head lightly in his forward stare, cracking a knuckle as he did so. "You're not resortin' to close-range techniques like _punches_." The Nomad Trooper half-joked in his grin as he stared on forward; his seemingly misplaced cheer managed to invigorate the tense listening crowd and some even grinned along with him.

"If we're gonna do this...," Sabine spoke from Hawke's right, frowning firmly forward. She darted her eyes next to her. "We gotta do it right." He advised at her side.

"Do it right is _right,_ " Gerard elongated the end of his sentence from next to Gorlin with a leant-eyed stare. "I reckon we'll only get one chance at a rescue like this." The Armour Knight explained briefly as his eyes lightly hovered between the trapped Sevrenna and Selthris and the mad-faced Half-Moon.

"How are Team Three looking right now?" Hawke asked, this time directing her question to the blinking Leo standing next to Sabine. He could only chuckle back at her mirthlessly as he responded.

"Tina's been K.O.'d, Ed's missing and, oh yeah," the Mercenary shot back in a lightly annoyed frown as he turned to point his one good arm accusingly at dire scene before them. "Our _captain_ might be _dead!_ " He exclaimed out in a mix of frustration and anger as he thrust his finger at the fallen form of his old comrade.

Hawke stared back at him for a good long couple of seconds before nodding, opting to turn to face the front once more.

" _She's_ okay though," he added in a low mutter, watching the scowling Sevrenna. "Of _course._ "

Opting to give the youth an honourable and temporary lay-off for his closeness to his companions, Hawke opened her mouth to continue.

"I will fight him alone." The Sniper calmly declared in a frown behind her mask. The group's shocked silence betrayed the gasp dying to escape from their lips.

"Are you _insane?_ " Leo hushed over as he returned his left arm to his limping right, bruised and bloody-faced and all. "He took out _Sel;_ he'll take _you_ out too!"

"I was once taught by one of the greatest warriors this world has ever seen," the Sniper proudly claimed as she turned briefly to face the shocked, blinking Mercenary. "If I can't even _match_ this man... then I'll lose respect for my _own_ skills, let alone how _he'd_ feel."

"Wh-What should we do?" Garrus whispered down from his quietly flapping dragon, eyes on the front. "I kind of want to go search for Tina and Edgar..."

Hawke nodded in quiet agreement. "When I create an opening, take Team Three's new captain Leo with you and go rescue their former," she instructed formally but quickly. When he raised his eyebrow once more down at her she continued, almost as if knowing of his unspoken questions. "You have full permission to go search for Tina and Edgar." The Sniper spoke, drawing a listening and enthused grinning nod from the Dragon Rider.

"What about _us?_ " Gorlin whispered over as he cracked his knuckles once more; an old habit. He stared over hungrily at the silent smirking Apheia and the thick-armoured General Haffed next to her.

"Focus as much might as you can on the other three," she ordered briefly as she turned her stare back on the tongue-faced Half-Moon. "I'd rather be alone when I fight this... thing."

"Got it!" Gorlin nodded in his assenting grin, slamming his fist into his left palm for effect.

"Finally!" Kay shot out in an enthused grin along with her captain, imitating his palm-punch with one of her own. "We get to flex our muscles again!" The passionate Cavalier grinned forward, drawing a listening laugh from the battle-hardened Nomad Trooper next to her.

"With Etherthien's 'Killer Instinct' leading the fray, none can lose!" Alaric called loudly from the front as he grinned alongside the growing atmosphere of the battle. He spun the axe he carried 'round his arm as he stared forward. "Even attempting to kill our _commander_ will not shake our faith!" Etherthien's king proudly declared; his words, seemingly heard by the Allied forces behind the Sohanthian's, let loose a similarly prideful war cry. Their shout was heard all the way from the frontlines, visibly dropping the seemingly eternal smirk on the now frowning Apheia's face.

"Can't believe you're makin' me clean up after that idiot's mistakes...," the usually quiet Bernhard muttered from Gorlin's side as he cricked his neck, as if to prepare himself for an engagement with the enemy. "You guys are gonna _owe_ me for this one..."

"Come now Bern!" Ulric called over uncharacteristically loudly and fondly, a comfortable grin on his face as he twirled the trusty silver lance he always carried. "That 'idiot' you refer to is the son of greatest soldier in the world!" The dismounted Paladin claimed with a grin, speaking comfortably with his old-time companion of the plains. "He has quite a name to live up to!"

Even in spite of his earlier growing panic and frustration, the listening Leo couldn't help but smile at the sight of his closer allies rallying their morale and forces for the greater good. The young Mercenary turned his battered face to grin over at the scrunched-eye shut face of his closest companion and nodded.

" _Three years ago... you thought_ I _was your only friend,_ " he thought to himself in a growing, chuckling grin. _"But now everyone's here to save_ you _and this time out of their own hearts,"_ he claimed to himself as he chuckled knowingly. _"You're a better person 'n y'think Sel."_ The young man finished confidently in his mind as he turned his grin into a warm smile.

"So... you like to 'devour' and to 'consume'... do you?" Hawke spoke over calmly and quietly as she narrowed her eyes in a strong frown, glaring past the mask she wore. The open-mouthed smirking Half-Moon merely chuckled suggestively back at her, still in his low-stance position. His tongue hung out and licked his lips, as if to savour the meal to come. "Grub's up varmint."


	8. Ambitious Tactics

**Chapter 7: Ambitious Tactics; Soldier VS. Butcher!**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"The Best is Yet to Come (Instrumental)" -** Scene **2** (Second Half)._

* * *

 _While the Allied forces' morale rockets from their previous victories at Stasia, Ostria and Mount Brookhead their seemingly untouchable momentum is finally dented by the appearance of an infamous name in Sohanthian history._

 _The Half-Moon Murderer._

 _Seemingly a serial killer that preyed on random houses of families during cold half-moon night, chief strategist Astrid can only speculate at his inclusion in Sohantha's military. Having received news of rogue Team Three member Sevrenna once more however, their captain stands in the way of a potentially fatal strike aimed for her in particular. The rest of the seemingly invincible Team Three is easily cut down by the shocking display of power Half-Moon commands, driving Allied forces' morale further down._

 _Quickly attempting to adapt to the fast-changing battlefield however, Astrid orders all available units to the frontlines to assist the fallen Selthris and the pinned down Sevrenna. Under the guiding eye of veteran Sniper Hawke and even Etherthien's king himself, slowly but surely the group begin to pick their morale back up piece by piece._

 _Hawke now looks to draw Half-Moon's attention away from the dying Selthris and helpless Sevrenna in an attempt to allow Garrus to swoop in and save the doomed pair. Etherthien's 'Killer Instinct' even dares to hope for a victory on the field of battle..._

 _Just as she did eons past._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

"Sacri _fice,_ - _fice!_ -fice..." Half-Moon managed to growl out in a seeming stammer of his words, his face making contrasting expressions as he did so. Hawke stared back at him, eyes narrowed and head quickly going through what she had just witnessed.

" _DEVOUR!"_

" _CONSUME!"_

Images of him attempting throw his Aegir infused palm into the fallen body of Selthris flashed across her mind's eye.

 _"He's _very_ powerful; something in his bloodline that allows him to draw from other people's Aegir,"_

Talia's words earlier.

What did that mean exactly?

From this she was able to quickly draw clues from what she had discovered so far.

Better not let him touch her, she thought to herself.

As if reading her very thoughts, the short-blonde haired serial killer suddenly leapt at her. Her eyes narrowed and she back-dashed into the air for more room, swiftly reaching into her scabbard for her steel sword. He growled like an animal as he swung the katana he held in his two hands, scowling at her horribly. She narrowed her eyes past her mask but no words or even a grunt escaped her as she watched past the sparks of their weapons into his eyes.

He stopped scowling however and, when he caught sight of her narrowed eyes, he gave vent to a second loud roar and pushed her forward, sending her stumbling back two steps. Half-Moon grunted angrily as he spun around in place in a wide slash attack; she blocked it, sending her back-flipping in recovery and sailing away towards the watching Sohanthian crowd behind her. Acting fast, she sheathed her steel sword as quickly as she could before landing on one of the shocked and gasping Sohanthian soldier's shields.

When the Etherthien Sniper caught the pursuing Sohanthian serial killer, she gave vent to a single grunt before pushing off of the shield she stood on, forward-flipping skyward. Now directly sailing overhead the wide-eyed Half-Moon, she grasped at her Double Bow and shot a single Aegir and fire-infused great-arrow down where he was running to. His own eyes widened this time and Hawke wasn't sure whether it was in shock or concern; she _did_ hear him open his mouth however.

" _DEVOUR!_ "

 _CRASH_

The snowy ground erupted into a massive show of a single explosion and flame to go with it. The watching Sohanthian army now ahead of her all exclaimed in shock and surprise as they watched their seeming comrade enveloped in the blast. Hawke landed in a hard-eyed narrow of her eyes, watching.

Surely he's still alive, she thought to herself.

Especially if he's been compared to Naerith's Masked Man and Aselia's Sathryon Vikeruce.

When the dust finally settled however she got a full-view look at the man – or supposed man- before her; he lay on his knees, suckling at the ground like an animal, _eating_ the very fire she had used to attack with. Hawke's eyes widened when she watched him.

He can _eat_ fire?

Suddenly memories of Talia's words entered her mind.

" _Draw from other people's Aegir."_ She thought to herself in a hard-eyed frown, reiterating the young Thunder Mage's words. Watching him as he was _now_ he was definitely more animal-like than human. Crawling on all fours, sipping at the Quintessence hidden inside the fire with which she used to attack with, growling in one syllable phrases.

She had hardly expected the most infamous serial killer in Sohantha to be so strange of all things.

As if savouring the next tasty meal to come, the grinning Half-Moon forced his front arms back up to stand staring at her. A very light wind began to grow at his legs, signifying a power increase. Her eyes narrowed at him as she watched him carefully. She'd have to be careful and try to rely on her Aegir as less as possible.

* * *

Sevrenna gasped as she was almost pushed off of Garrus' mount, almost as quickly as she had been pulled onto it. "What are you-?!" She called over her shoulder angrily as she near lost grip on the bloody body in her arms. "I nearly _dropped_ him you-"

"Just get going!" Garrus ordered over at her angrily. The Swordmaster pulled her scowl back in a mildly hurt and surprised reminder of their situation. "I'm going to go back for Tina and Ed!" The Dragon Rider threw over his _own_ shoulder as he turned Sophie around to immediately take off. The Swordmaster watched him go in a mix of mild irritation and frustration however when her eyes were soon re-faced with the critically injured Selthris in her arm, her anger soon dissipated.

I've seen so much pain and destruction since that night eleven years ago she thought to herself.

Why was this so hard to watch?

"Over here!"

The ebony-haired Swordmaster's similarly jet-black eyebrows shot up in surprise to find the frowning Ariella calling over at her from their camp, not far off. Many tents lay open and medical staff walked in and out of them; seemingly for their patients. The frowning scruffy-haired Norman frowned back at her as he approached her, opening his arms. She opted to give the shut-eyed Selthris a final lingering look before averting her gaze in guilt and raising up his body.

The Alchemist's loyal bodyguard's eyebrows rose up in surprise as he took the bloody body from her grip. "He's... surprisingly light." The scimitar-wielding warrior said in similar surprise.

"I... didn't notice..." Sevrenna could only respond with, her eyes averting his. He raised his eyebrows to match his curiosity as he watched her.

" _Norman!_ "

Ariella's sudden and lightning-quick call shot through his nerves; he gasped before nodding and about-turning to run after his medically dressed superior. "Coming!" He called after her as he ran toward her. Sevrenna watched him leave with a lingering, sad frown attached to her face. As if unused to the feeling, she made ready to turn and leave however, when the old woman's words cut through the air once more, she stopped.

"You as _well!_ " Ariella's surprisingly shrill voice carried all the way over from the middle of the camp. The Swordmaster snapped her head around to face the Alchemist and she winced back.

Was she even _allowed_ to be around him anymore, after _that?_

She began her walk back with a jog to go find out.

–

 _ **2**_

Even as she back-dashed, Hawke's eyes narrowed past her mask as her steel sword was smashed against by the laughing Half-Moon, his _own_ expression contrastingly in a fit of delight. The blades made loud sparks and, as they landed, the Etherthien bound Sniper swerved the growling Half-Moon's obvious stab dive forward before sinking her indigo armoured left knee into his lower stomach.

" _GAGH!_ " Half-Moon managed to yell out suddenly, his wide grin lost to an annoyed, pained and open-mouthed frown.

He was sent sailing into the air back the way he came from the sheer strength she put into her attack; utilising her decades-long fighting experience, she easily phased into the air as she leapt to the side. With shocking speed, Team One's captain zoomed into frame behind the grunting Half-Moon; the Sohanthian serial killer's right eye opened and it darted as far behind him as it could in seeming preparation. Seemingly utilising his vast Quintessence control, he spun his body around as he careered; righting his position to successfully counter her incoming stab attack. Hawke's eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed to match her disappointment

"Tch!"

Her miffed grunt was easily overtook by the similarly scowling Half-Moon's katana; it raked across her steel sword and the two were locked in yet another struggle. Half-Moon's sailing had immediately stopped and he levitated in mid-air, his looming and low scowl shadowing over her threateningly. Her eyes narrowed up at him past the sparks before, finally, she found his strength slowly but surely overpowering her.

She was worried about this.

"Rgh...," Half-Moon growled lowly, drooling at the mouth as he beheld his next seeming meal before him. "Ae-Aegir...!" He intoned out below her, his hungry-eyed scowl firm and wildly aggressive. Hawke opted not to respond.

Not vocally anyway.

She merely glared back at him in a growing hard-scowl, attempting to hold him back. Unfortunately however, his strength seemed to have been increased from her earlier arrow coated with Quintessence.

Mistake, she thought to herself.

She grunted in tandem with his warning growl and it grew with his when he finally managed to break her hold on her weapon.

 _CLANG_

The steel sword she carried clattered noisily to the ground in a spinning sprawl, leaving the newly wide-eyed and grinning Half-Moon to continue. He laughed like a maddened hyena as he leapt forward went for a killing strike. Hawke's eyes widened and, with as much force and speed as she could muster, she pulled her body in a swift back-flip to evade the incoming attack. Time slowed down for the pair and, as Half-Moon hungrily and urgently horizontally swiped after her wildly, the blade got through.

The Sniper's eyes widened and she sucked in air through her teeth when she felt it pierce the robe side of her armour on her left arm. The indigo cloth was ripped from the angry slash and, with it, a visible trickle of blood. When time finally regained its flow however, she landed onto the ground gracefully on one knee, eyes narrowing past her mask at her opponent. Her eyebrows lifted with her widening eyes however when she watched his grin grow, even at a plateau higher than he had done before.

Half-Moon chuckled knowingly and chillingly as he gradually raised his katana up to his mouth as if to _eat_ the blade itself. Hawke's eyes immediately darted to his tongue slowly exiting his mouth to join with the tip of his katana.

Why would he-?

Her eyes widened when she watched him lap up at the small amount of her dripping blood on the katana.

Quintessence in the blood.

Of course...

As if in immediate response, Half-Moon's eyes widened and with a sudden burst of energy, he tossed his katana to join her fallen steel sword. His growls soon began to intone out lowly as he sent his clenching fists to his sides; as before, a visible ring of wind began to circulate around his legs and body in tandem with the shroud of Aegir itself that began to appear with it. Hawke's eyes narrowed forward at him, watching and waiting.

Was this a transformation?

His short blonde hair soon grew with the sudden exclamation he bore his voice to and, as he turned his head skyward, the ground gave off a resounding tremor to match his new form. His blonde hair had turned blood-red with the billowing and transparent Quintessence cloak he now wore so well. His hair had grown significantly in length to match his new form and his blood-stained grin heralded a new plateau entirely to his strength. Hawke mixed her sweat-growing frown with the ravenous and menacing smirk on his face.

His strength has obviously gotten a _massive_ increase, she thought to herself.

Pushing her panic down with a firm scowl however she narrowed her eyes at the tiny amount of blood he drew from her.

He gained _this_ from _that?_

Incredible, the Sniper thought to herself.

"Rgh...," Half-Moon growled out in his toothy wide smirk, his body shaking in conjunction with the buff he had been given, almost as if he had not tasted it in years. "Ae-Aegir...," he spoke through his clenched fangs, his eyes widened as he leapt forward, presumably to attack her. " _DEVOUR!_ "

* * *

"Thanks again Gar." Leo smiled up at the Dragon Rider appreciatively, saluting him off with his warm expression.

"S'fine; I know how close you two are," Garrus smiled back in a dismissive shake of his head as his mount, Sophie, flapped her wings powerfully to hover the pair above the Mercenary. "I wanna go and take Edgar and Tina back with me as soon as I can."

"Yeah man, you go get 'em." the Mercenary couldn't help but grin his battle-weary face back up at the visibly blushing Dragon Rider. He averted his gaze for a few seconds before chuckling good-heartedly and turning his mount around mid-air, presumably to fly off.

"I'll see you soon!" He called over his shoulder as he shot off like an arrow shot from a ballista, leaving Leo in a light smile of his own. He watched him disappear into the morning distance before turning his head around in a new-found frown.

Have to find Sel, he thought to himself.

No need to worry about Sevrenna being there, he added in his mind as he began to quickly walk through main camp.

" _Next I see her she ain't gettin' a smile from me,_ " the Mercenary continued in his head as he sauntered on through, passing scrub-donned medical staff. _"Can't believe she broke formation_ again... _"_ He thought once more but this time in an annoyed, frowning shake of his head before he finally reached a random nearby tent.

Could this be it?

When he entered the tent however, it seemed he was either incredibly lucky or instead led by destiny itself; the frowning Selthris was shockingly up and conscious. He turned his head around, sat up on a bed in a surprised blink; Sevrenna sat behind him, applying some kind of medicine to his wounds via his back. She also turned to face him in a firmer frown. The scrubbed up Ariella stood overlooking them, arms folded as she faced the wide-eyed Mercenary.

Leo couldn't believe what he was seeing.

" _What?_ " Sevrenna suddenly shot over, an angry tone on her voice. Leo faced her with an expression matching her anger, annoyed at her himself for his earlier thoughts.

"Come on, enough," Selthris murmured out from his position, right hand raised upward as if to keep the peace. "It's been a bad _enough_ day." The Lord finished with in a contrastingly chuckling, smiling tone of voice. Sevrenna snapped her eyes away from the Mercenary in a show of her usual cold nature; Leo allowed himself to smile lightly in response as he walked further into the tent to approach them.

"I'm shocked you're _up,_ Sel," he began as he approached in a light, appreciative smile. "You feelin' better?"

"Miraculously he's _fine,_ " Ariella responded to him with a light grin of her own, folded arms and all. She turned her head back to face the pair on the bed before her. "Our feared sword-slayer has a heart it would seem." The Alchemist boldly proclaimed in her humoured grin.

The listening Sevrenna, obviously knowing she was being referred to, shot up a heated and warning glare in response. In spite of his earlier annoyed feelings, Leo couldn't help but grin lightly himself.

"Very well, very well!" The old woman chuckled good-naturedly as she shot up her arms in defeat, even lowering her head as she did so. She pulled at the gloves she wore with her well-hearted smile and turned it briefly on the pair ahead of her before re-opening her mouth to finish. "I'll leave you three young 'uns alone." She ended in a well-meaning grin as she turned to leave the tent, pulling the gloves she wore off as she did so. The trio were soon left in an awkward kind of silence and Leo had to scratch at the side of his head as he turned his eyes away from the pair.

"You need any painkillers?" The Mercenary spoke up with, attempting to cut into the silent tension, walking over to one of the cupboards kept inside the area.

"N-No I'm... I'm fine," Selthris replied back as quickly as he could, chuckling in his light smile as he did so. Leo turned to face him briefly as he reached up on the cupboard for them anyway but soon found himself watching the firmly frowning face of Sevrenna hiding behind him. "Thanks... for coming back to see me."

"I needed work done myself y'know," the Mercenary shot back as he reached up high to grab the small bottle, pulling it down. He grabbed a nearby chair and drove it over to use. Dropping himself down into the seat across from the pair he smiled at his close friend. "But I'm glad you're okay," he admitted in his smile. "But... how...?"

Selthris chuckled, this time in a nervous smile as he too scratched the side of his head. "I'm... still not entirely sure why...," the Lord chortled nervously, his eyes shut briefly as he attempted to explain. "Ariella tells me it may have something to do with the Aegir that I still have." He claimed as he watched his companion with a suggestive frown this time. Leo's eyebrows both risen in response when he listened, easily catching the gist of his words. Sevrenna, curious, turned her eyes across at the pair as she listened.

" _That would explain it... the Sorcerer...,"_ Leo thought to himself in a surprised frown of his own before nodding at the younger man. _"But after all these years...?"_

A testament to how strong the progenitor of Aegir Art's teachings really was, he supposed.

"I'm... surprised I will say," Leo began as he raised a curious eyebrow upward and leaned back in his chair. He tossed the bottle of painkillers he held in his right hand repeatedly, catching the spinning bottle as he leaned back in his low grin. "I never saw _you_ the type to repay people back like _this_ Sevrenna." He called over in a teasing grin.

Selthris winced as he averted his own gaze from his goading companion; he felt the angry Swordmaster shoot her new-found scowl up at the Mercenary. Leo chuckled back, happy at the reaction he received.

"I'm just happy things didn't end the way I thought they would," he added this time however, regaining his sombre frown on his face. Selthris' low smile was daunted a little by the new-found tension in the air and he lowered his spiky, silvery-haired head in response. "Would be a shame to see the end of the Vikeruce clan." He ended, this time in a smiling, happy tone. Selthris exchanged his own smile with his best friend, as if in silent agreement.

"I know your _father_ was supposed to be the great 'Oceiros'," Sevrenna finally spoke up for the first time since Leo had entered their tent. His eyes shot over to her as he listened. "But what about the rest of your family? Any siblings?" The Swordmaster murmured over at him as she worked on his bandaged body behind him.

The air suddenly grew tenser even than before. Selthris' smile was soon lost to him in favour a saddened frown, eyes lowering to match it. Leo swivelled his eyes away from the pair in knowing. Sevrenna's left eyebrow rose up in curiosity as she listened.

"Not even your mother...?" She asked quietly behind him, narrowing her eyes at his back. He raised his eyes upward, finally nodding in response.

"Yes," Selthris answered her in his nodding frown. "My mother is no longer with us, but...," he murmured in low-eyed explanation. "She was the good one in our family." The youth gave vent to his quiet thoughts, smiling lightly as he did so. Leo's eyebrow rose up as he listened.

" _What...?"_ The Mercenary thought to himself in light confusion as he watched his younger companion.

"When I think about how people sanctify my father, I...," Selthris began again as he shook his head, this time in a low frown. "I just _can't,_ " he explained briefly, shutting his eyes in conjunction with his words. Sevrenna listened quietly, eyes watching him. "I knew him better than a lot of people did."

"And your mother was a better person than him?" She pressed him curiously, raising an eyebrow.

He smiled once more, nodding. "She... was always very passionate... about keeping me safe from others," the Lord smiled in explanation, as if recounting from his memory. "She was so devoted to other people that... I think she may have forgotten to take care of _herself._ "

Even as he spoke, the quiet Leo watched his closest companion with a frown. He opted not to open his mouth in response as he also listened to him.

"Do you have any more family?" The Swordmaster behind him question, unusually curious. "I heard you say they weren't-"

"I... had an older sister... once." He answered her in response, his smile soon dissolving back to his sombre frown. He laid his bare hands across his armoured legs as he spoke. Sevrenna raised a curious eyebrow as she listened.

"What... happened to her?" She asked as she kept from wincing, perhaps uncomfortable with prying. Leo's eyes darted up to watch the shut-eyed Lord, knowing of who he spoke.

"She's... dead," he admitted to her in a simple frown, his silvery eyes shut. "By my own hand."

Finally finding the courage to speak, Leo shot his eyes up to face the pair as he opened his mouth.

"Silvermoon." The Mercenary gave claim to, frowning firmly forward at the pair. This time Sevrenna's sky-blue eyes widened in shock, easily recognising the name.

"S-Silvermoon?" She parroted, clearly shocked. Selthris' re-opened eyes soon averted both their gazes, as if ashamed. "Naerith's famed general?" She whispered over to the pair of young men. Selthris opted to silently nod in conjunction with his contrastingly firm frowning companion. "I-I had no idea..." The Swordmaster admitted as she pulled back a tiny bit in surprise.

"There was no way you could," Leo answered this time, leaning back in his chair as he narrowed his eyes forward. "It happened in Naerith three years ago," he explained very briefly, drawing a similarly narrow-eyed frown from the listening Sevrenna. "Only Sel and I know the _real_ truth of what happened there."

Listening to him quietly in her frown she opted to finally turn her oceanic eyes to the thus far silent Selthris. "Is... is it _true?_ "

Selthris only nodded in his silent, grave frown.

"And you _killed_ her?" The shocked Swordmaster whispered out, eyes widened and brow furrowed forward at him. He nodded once more in his self-imposed silence. "... _How?!_ " She hissed over at him, half-frustrated at his silent responses and half-bewildered.

"... She wanted it...," the Lord admitted in his sad-eyed frown before soon narrowing them in a silent show of his old hatred. "We _both_ did."

Memories of the famed great Sathryon's death from three years ago in Naerith's 'Burning War' soon flashed in her mind in memory.

Of course, she thought to herself.

Naerith's Masked Man was their father's killer.

But... why?

"I was a bad person, three years ago," Selthris finally opened up in his brief explanation. "In the name of vengeance I sold my body... _and_ my soul," he claimed in his glassy-eyed frown. Leo's eyes shot up to watch the shocked face of the listening Sevrenna, guessing at her own past as he also listened. "I got what I wanted, but... in the end...," he explained briefly as he briefly shut his eyes and soon turned his head around half-way to face hers in his frown. She nearly pulled back in further shock but managed to hold her position. "All I felt was emptiness." He finally finished with, staring back at her with his narrowed right silver eye. She watched him in a wide-eyed frown of her own and soon averted her gaze, almost as if being seen through completely.

Though he was silent in his audience, Leo could only exchange and compare the looks from the two, as if in knowing.

–

 _ **3**_

Hawke grunted as she used her arms, coated in Aegir to block to incoming roaring Half-Moon; his animalistic roar rent the air around her and she found herself near overpowered already from his shocking showmanship of strength. He roared the single word he seemed to favour above most of all directly at her, spitting his saliva at her excitedly in his wide-open grin.

" _DEVOUR!_ "

With that single shout of effort he leapt further in and forced her back skidding more than just a few yards. Beads of sweat soon began to drip from the grunting Sniper's 'x' crossed stance and she glared back at him through the mask she wore so faithfully. Finally breaking through however, his grin was temporarily lost to a frown and simultaneously pulling in the Aegir she used to defend with, he collided his palm to grasp at her wide-eyed face with. Veritably pulsing with the billowing Quintessence he commanded, Half-Moon exclaimed loudly as he pulled the woman back easily and tossed her forward, as if she were a mere stone.

The Sohanthian soldiers behind her brought their shields up to defend against and the Sniper grunted as she bounced off of them, being sent back sailing high into the air. Half-Moon watched her hungrily and licked his lips in expectation before suddenly bounding up to meet her. Seemingly powerless to react in time, the Sniper turned her hard-eyed glare down on him as she flew skywards before, finally, he began to approach her.

" _BREAK YOUR SPIRIT!_ "

Half-Moon's instinctual words rent through the air and were echoed somehow as he leapt up at her, his elongated nails raking at her mask. His billowing Aegir cloak seemed to intensify his attack and Hawke grunted as she was struck by the incoming fierce attack.

 _CRACK_

Widening her eyes as she was sent careering across the air from the intensity of his Quintessence-infused strike. The two landed near simultaneously and, as they did, the watching crowd of Allied soldiers cringed. Time seemed to slow down for them however when they watched her stand back up, her leaning posture seeming to indicate a tired sense to her and yet raising up so quickly contrasted with it. She leant forward and, as Half-Moon's eyes widened in a wide open-mouthed grin, the Allied forces behind her also gasped with him.

The earlier crack they had heard was not fake.

Sure enough, the mysterious warrior's mask dropped to the ground in small fragments.

As she watched the wide-eyed Half-Moon with a low glare of her own he took in her facial features. Though her long brown ponytail poked out earlier from the back of her mask, now that it was absent, he was able to see it entirely; a simple side-shed of her light brown hair lay on front and fringe, dripping down at the sides. The softness of her complexion surprised the watching Half-Moon and, as he further regarded her now visible face he took in the final feature; small dabs of face-paint lay across the two sides of her face. The unmasked Hawke scowled back at him and his grin slowly re-grew on his face.

"Strong... Strong soul...!" Half-Moon intoned out forward in a wide-open mouthed grin, a laughing tone to his voice. Opting to remain chillingly silent in response to his strangely talkative fighting style, Hawke suddenly became transparent and, as if reacting immediately to her movement, the Sohanthian serial killer roared as he bounded forward at her. Though he raked his newly elongated claws at her ravenously she didn't react in the slightest. He blinked over at her, unsure on her tactics before widening his eyes when he sensed a presence behind him.

Before he could even roar back at her a great-arrow flew at him with frightening speed, seemingly infused with something other than Aegir. The reappeared and unmasked Hawke re-appeared behind him, gripping her trusty bow from her previous attack. She lowered it and narrowed her eyes forward at him before opening her mouth to finally respond to him.

" _Burn._ "

 _DROOM_

Her voice was so low and quiet he almost couldn't hear her before the impact struck; when it did, an explosion rent the air and a huge influx of smoke and dust was kicked up from the attack. This time Hawke opted to wait for the dust to settle and, as she did her eyes narrowed forward at the billowing Quintessence shroud she saw first.

Still alive.

Though not without injury, she thought to herself as her brow furrowed at the sight of him behind the smoke.

His seemingly pain-growing grunt filled the air around him as he was viewed in a knee-bent position, one of his eyes shut. When he felt her watching him he snapped his hard-eyed glare on her, his earlier wide open-mouthed grin now absent from his expression. She saw a new look on him and one she hadn't seen so far.

Actual fatigue.

" _So...,_ " she thought to herself in a low, growing grin. _"I was right._ "

Almost as if sensing her thoughts, the animalistic Half-Moon sent his head skyward and roared like a lion before suddenly disappearing from common view. Her eyes narrowed and, without the mask she wore that weighed her senses down, her eyes easily caught his super-fast form rushing at her from her side.

She leapt in a back-dash, blocking his unsubtle forward claw slash with her Alchemy infused right arm. Seemingly angered by her successful block she spun around and managed to fully evade his follow-up vertical right clawed strike. Watching her land in a slight skid backward, dodging his attacks he gained a wide-eyed seemingly shocked facial expression, as if bewildered by her sudden increase in agility. She stared back at him in a warning low scowl, as if to challenge him.

As if in reaction to her confidence, he answered with an angry roar, both arms at his sides before he merely bounded forward to attack her once more. Hawke's eyes narrowed at his as she leapt to her left side and, as he landed where she once was, he turned his hateful scowl on her as he surged after her determinedly. The agile Sniper deftly ducked her head to avoid his incoming horizontal slash before suddenly widening her eyes as she sunk her right foot into his lower stomach. Widening his own eyes he managed out some kind of grunt, seemingly in pain, as he froze all movement.

"Gurgh!" He managed out before the narrow-eyed Sniper below him infused her arms with Alchemy and grasped at his overextended left arm. He turned his eyes down to stare down at her hopelessly and the pair glared at one another similarly before she suddenly exclaimed in effort as she pulled his entire body over her shoulder.

 _CRASH_

Hawke gasped with effort as she pulled her arms back, stepping away from the destruction she had caused. Exiting the smoke cloud she had created, she watched it intently. When it finally dissipated however her eyes narrowed down at the sight below her in a judging manner. Half-Moon's now bloody and painfully bruised body lay below her, all traces of his earlier billowing Quintessence cloak gone. She scowled down at him as she folded her arms and walked toward him. As if to wake him up she drove her right boot into his ripped chest, glaring down at him. When she did however his eyes shot wide open and he snapped them up to face her from an upside down position.

"Pathetic," she called down at him quietly, finally opening her mouth for the first time in what felt like hours. His arms shot down to grasp at her foot but, as she expected, he couldn't force her off immediately. Trickles of blood dropped from two sides of his mouth. "You may be strong but it's _fake,_ " the Sniper judged in a firm narrow of her eyes, her arms still folded. "You'll never beat anyone worth their salt like this."

"Rgh...," the animalistic Half-Moon growled back up at her before widening his eyes. As if in response to the low rumble in his throat, the ground shook lightly before loudly rumbling with it. " _DEVOUR!_ "

The ground opened up below him in response to the new-found Aegir cloak that materialised around him. He deftly clawed up at her with his right arm and her eyes narrowed as she bent her body backwards to evade the attack. Back-flipping up after her he roared lividly as he spun his body around in a leaping roundhouse kick; again she bent her body down to avoid his attack entirely.

Her movements did little to discourage the Sohanthian serial killer however and, as he landed, he roared again as he leapt at her executing a series of super-fast slashes and kicks with his claws and legs. Her arms still folded, as if to display her superior ability over the slow-fading blonde man, Hawke merely glared back at him wordlessly as she seemingly easily dodged each sloppily executed and animalistic attack he could attempt to hit her with.

As she finally back-dashed once more in a simple frowning skid, Half-Moon let out one final furious clamour as he leapt at her unsubtly, his rage seemingly leading him. With a similarly concluding scowl of her own Hawke swerved her body to her right in a sudden, lasting movement. Half-Moon's eyes widened and his scowl slowly dissipated in response to his enemy's movements and, as he turned to watch her counter-attack, time slowed down for him.

She bent her body down and around to launch him at his chin with a surprising kick, sending him grunting and skyward. Following up her counter assault the skilled Sniper let out a single grunt as she spun around in a decisive roundhouse kick, all imbued with Alchemy. Half-Moon yelped in a mix of pain and anger as he was sent careering from the sheer strength she sent to her attack; his new-found Quintessence shroud easily dropped from his body as he rolled across the ground, pained and seemingly broken.

Hawke frowned hard after him as she pulled her surprisingly high leg slowly back to her side from her earlier attack, her arms _still_ folded all through her actions. Seemingly unable to move from the decisive counterstrike, Half-Moon growled in pain as his body shook terribly; a sign he was trying to move but failed to. Hawke marched forward, her arms still folded as she glared over at him. As if sensing her approach, Half-Moon's body shook even more terribly but it was no use; the fallen Sohanthian could barely move at all. When she stopped her march short just over his body she opted to glare down at him wordlessly and he scowled hatefully back at her as he did so.

"H-How...?" The animalistic serial killer growled up at her before coughing out blood painfully. His eyes widened when he recovered from the action before scowling even firmer as he repeated his words. " _HOW?!_ "

"It wasn't that hard in all honesty," the Sniper began to explain, very briefly narrowing her eyes down at him. "When I saw you eat the fire I coated my arrow in... it was pretty clear that you sustain on Aegir itself. Not to mention the blood from your katana earlier," she claimed in her hard frown. He blinked on up at her as he listened. "So I tested using Alchemy instead on you...," she began before upturning a side of her grin as she did. "And I guess it worked."

"Rgh...," Half-Moon growled up at her warningly before re-opening his bloody stained mouth. "Break you up into _pieces!_ " He hissed in a glare of his own. Hawke opted to let her grin drop in response to his words before narrowing her eyes down at him.

"Hmph," she merely muttered out in her throat before lowering her head, presumably from being recognised with her mask off. The Sniper kept her head lowered as she about turned to walk toward her comrades. "Norman!" She called out loudly this time, shooting her head up momentarily, her eyes darting around as if to look for the bodyguard. "Where are you?!"

–


	9. Hold the Line

**Chapter 8: Hold the Line; Battle at Odorion Plains**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"The Awful Night" - Dynasty Warriors V OST.** Scene **3** (First & Second Halves). Scene **4** (First & Second Halves). Scene **4** (First & Second Halves). Scene **5** (First & Second Halves)._

* * *

 _In their last battle, the Allied forces find themselves nearly outmatched by the empire's tenacity. On the very field of battle, Sevrenna of Team Three breaks formation once more in an attempt to pursue a long-hated enemy; this turns dire for team captain and Allied forces commander Selthris Vikeruce. The enemy, a well-known Sohanthian serial killer and fierce fighter in his own right, known only as the 'Half-Moon Murderer', he makes short work of the young Selthris and turns his ire on the rest of the Allied forces._

 _Fortunately however, the far-off captain of Team One manages to intercept the pair before he is able to finish his work. Hawke brandishes her steel sword and bow to successfully attack and fend off the strangely powerful 'Half-Moon'. In fighting him she, like Selthris, is soon overpowered to a stand-off with him and quickly attempts to calculate any weaknesses he may have. While fighting him she discovers he can easily ingest any attack coated with Aegir and become stronger from it; even with blood he is able to draw Quintessence from it. Hawke adapts and overcomes the animalistic Half-Moon and allows the Allied forces a chance to breathe._

 _Meanwhile on the frontlines of Farrador Castle, Gorlin and the rest of the allies manage to push the cunning general Apheia and her Sohanthian force back. Astrid's earlier employed strategy of flooding the castle itself proves its weight in gold and with a little raise of their morale, the Allied forces manage to send the entire Sohanthian force packing. Though seething with rage over their defeat, general Apheia cannot help but see the qualities in her enemy strategist Astrid; she, her aide Alder and Half-Moon himself all retreat back to their base in Odorion Plains._

 _Astrid, as always, leads the team of commanders in her strategy for the next battle..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

Selthris frowned forward in his light-eyed sombreness. He still couldn't remove the creeping memories of his sister and the Masked Man from his history after his discussion with Leo and Sevrenna the morning previous. His silvery eyes shut as he attempted to rid himself of his growing thoughts and the nightmare he had the night before as a result of the discussion.

This of course made him think harder of her.

Staciel Vikeruce's hard scowling face stared back at him in his mind's memory and his brow furrowed as he scowled back.

Why won't you leave me alone, he thought to himself.

" _It's been three years,"_ he added. _"It's taken me so long to forget about-"_

"Sel?"

The silver-haired youth's head snapped to his right and instinctively he went for the Hakai resting in its sheath on his hip. His eyes stayed widened as he beheld the surprised-faced Leo standing in his tent's doorway before him. He stood, transfixed for a second or two before finally chuckling in a low smile as he took his hand off of the hilt of his blade.

"L-Leo...," he said in his chuckle, shaking his spiky-haired head. "You always seem to... do that."

"Catch you off-guard huh?" The Mercenary shot back, a hand laying on the tent's side as he grinned back at the younger youth. He edged his thumb back the way he came and, with it, his head. "It's time; Astrid's got a doozy and she asked for _you_ specifically for it," he explained briefly. Selthris raised a curious silvery eyebrow upwards at his best friend, unsure. Leo merely winked at him before finishing his sentence. "Party can't start without you! Come on!" The Mercenary called before dropping the tent flap and turning to leave.

Selthris couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself as he smiled in the Mercenary's disappearing direction. When he shook his head to dismiss his interruption, the silver-haired youth went to quickly attach the rest of his equipment. He finally left the tent into the cold air of winter, frowning as he turned his head to his right. Numerous members of staff, normally soldiers, passed through and by their new main camp at Farrador Castle.

Scary to think I could have died here yesterday, he thought to himself as he briefly shut his eyes in a mirthless low smile.

That was absolutely stupid, he thought to himself.

 _Twice_ now in the space of three years he had put his life on the line for someone else that _wasn't_ Leo. He had thought he hadn't cared about the others that he fought with and yet there the proof seemingly was.

Maybe I really _can_ help, he thought.

Maybe I really _can_ save everyone.

They had been extremely lucky so far in that no deaths had been reported in their campaign; not even in the lower ranks of the soldiers. He couldn't help but grow a small grin to himself when he thought of the contrasting statement his father had always drilled into him.

" _There's no such thing as luck on the battlefield."_

Perhaps Sathryon was right all these years, he thought to himself.

As if to respond to his thoughts however, his silvery eyes caught the sight of the familiar boots he recognised walking toward him. He raised up his eyes to find the similarly surprised Sevrenna staring silently back at him; they both stopped walking, as if triggered by their very presences. Some soldiers muttered as they passed the pair and the two found themselves eyeing them threateningly. They picked up their pace to evade them completely and, when they finally did, Selthris turned his relaxed frown back on the Swordmaster before him.

He attempted a reassuring smile and nodded in acknowledgement. Though she watched him with a hard-eyed, concentrating frown her eyes darted away from his and she scowled before long. She soon shot her eyes away from him, averting his gaze before soon marching past him, effectively ending their contact. He turned his head half-way, as if to ready to pursue her but opted instead to continue on at the last second.

She may have been bothered by what she dug up from me yesterday, he thought to himself.

"What a shame..." The Lord murmured to himself in a sad, tired frown before re-turning to face the front. He merely walked on as if he had not encountered her at all.

* * *

Tina's eyebrows rose together as she marched on through the south side of the main camp. She kept her eyes peeled for the sight she was looking for. Her pegasus clopped along with her and she couldn't help but smile up at it endearingly as it snorted next to her. When she re-turned her head back to her front she double-took when she saw it.

A large dragon sitting directly outside of a tent. It sniffed up at the air that seemed to emanate from inside the tent it sat outside of.

A strange odour maybe?

When she approached she had her pegasus hide on the other side of the tent before smiling in an acknowledging nod up at the dragon on her left. She opened the tent flap and peeked in curiously, a single eyebrow up this time.

"Garrus?" She called out; her eyes instinctively found him hunched over at a small oven in the back. Her frown lit up into a light smile when he turned to face her, his ponytail of black hair swinging around as he faced her in a surprised frown.

"Tina, right?" The unmounted Dragon Rider grinned over at her, nodding his head upwards. "Welcome to my kitchen!" He chuckled good-naturedly.

"Do you need a hand?" The similarly dismounted Pegasus Knight winced as she picked up her pace suddenly to walk quickly inside the tent, approaching him. He stood up from his low position however and smiled as he placed the baking tray he used on the oven's top counter above him before peeling off the oven mitts he wore so well.

"I got it," the Etherthien Dragon Rider grinned as he placed the mitts down and stuck his hands on his hips. "Go on, take one." He encouraged, nodding his head down at the simple cookies he had created.

"Maybe later," Tina chuckled similarly well-heartedly as she smiled back at him before re-opening her mouth. "I'm surprised; you do _all_ the cooking for us?"

"What, you think _Ariella_ did it?" Garrus smirked back at her confidently, winking at her in a laugh. "Nah, she's smart, but no one is a match for my cookery."

"You're _good_ at it; these look _really_ nice," Tina complimented in a light smile of her own as she regarded the warm confectionery laying on the baking tray before her.

"Come _on;_ take one," Garrus grinned back at her as he folded his arms, nodding his head down to his right. "I promise I won't tell a soul."

The Pegasus Knight rolled her eyes in a flirtatious grin in response before opting to assent to his request.

" _Fine,_ " she gave in with a grin as she reached down to grasp at one of the delicious looking cookies with her glove. She bit into it in her smile, her eyebrows raised when she revelled in the result of them however. " _Damn,_ these _are_ good."

Beaming with pride, Garrus could only chuckle in his briefly shut-eyed grin, arms folded and all.

"Now I feel _horrible,_ I can't pay you back for these," the Pegasus Knight smiled in quiet apology. When the grinning Garrus shook his head to re-open his own mouth in response, an idea went off in her head; an idea coming to mind. "Oh wait a minute!"

"Uh?"

"What if I make you some gloves to handle the hot food with?" The messy-haired Pegasus Knight smiled at him as she tilted her head at him. He blinked initially, as if curious before turning his head back down to his mitts on his oven counter.

"I guess I could do with an upgrade...," Garrus chuckled good-heartedly as he examined the tattered mitts he used. "It's been... a long time." He said as he freed a left hand to rub the back of his head nervously.

"Sure, it'll be a good use of my time."

"So you can _sew!_ " Garrus smiled this time as he re-folded his arms to face the younger fighter. "That's so cool; it's a good trade."

"Yeah, of course; I had to growing up by myself," the girl grinned back at him as she nodded, taking another bite of the cookie he so graciously offered to her. "Is that why you're always wearing your armour?" She asked him, curious. He winced as he rubbed his head once more and averted her eyes for a few seconds in a well-meaning chuckle.

"Nah that was um... Sophie..." He laughed nervously and she raised an eyebrow.

"That's your...?"

"Yeah, that's her right outside there," the Dragon Rider introduced with an acknowledging nod to the exit of the tent in an appreciative smile. "She likes to chew on my _shirts_ of all things." Garrus finished in a nervously smiling laugh.

"I wish I could say Archibald never ate anything of mine but he always took a liking to my shoes," the Pegasus Knight shot back in a light grin of her own. "Tell you what; gimme!"

"Wha-?" Garrus mouthed over at her, for once taken by surprise in a blink. He soon realised what she was talking about – his shirt – and he chuckled once more. "Oh my _shirt,_ " he laughed, pulling his head temporarily back as he did. "Sure, sure lemme just take my armour-" he began again, reaching for it before he stopped almost immediately, as if noticing his very actions. "Uh, maybe I shouldn't be-"

"It's fine," Tina interrupted him with a dismissive shake of her head and a palm raised up, as if to dismiss his concerns. "I want to repay you back for helping me yesterday anyway."

"Don't worry about it," the Dragon Rider shot back in a confident smirk. "Can't call me a dragon knight without being quick!"

When she grabbed the tattered shirt from his now topless form, she grinned over at him. "Ain't _that_ the truth," she agreed with him in a wink before turning, presumably to leave. "I'll get it back to you soon as I can!"

"Take your time!"

–

 _ **2**_

"'Grub's up, _varmint'?_ " Norman reiterated for what felt like the tenth time as he grinned over at the similarly stoic-stance Hawke, folded armed and all. The Sniper rolled her eyes at the younger warrior ahead of her, opting not to respond to him. "That the best you could do?"

"I'd like to see _you_ do better in that fight," the Sniper finally replied with in a raise of her own eyebrow, a new mask adorned on her face. "You _could_ have gotten me this sooner y'know."

Norman chuckled as he tilted his head at her, a light grin on his scruffy complexion. "I guess I just like keepin' you on a hook." The Alchemist's bodyguard chuckled in his folded-armed grin, earning a narrow-eyed look from the woman before him.

"If anyone's on a hook it's _you,_ " Hawke shot back in her own folded-armed grin behind her mask. "We should watch how loud we're talking; we're about ready to start anyway."

As if to react to her words, the smiling Astrid strode into the tent alongside the similar expressed forms of the other regional commanders; Salnarra, Theffania and Alaric all marched alongside her. Common faces in the strategic room walked on in after them; the frowning Ariella joined by the similar faced Talia, clutching her Thunder tome close to her as always.

"Good morning you two!" Alaric greeted in his ever boisterous grin as he approached the folded-armed pair at the back of the tent, just a few steps from the table laid out for them. They turned to face their king and both lowered their frowns and arms to bow respectfully at him. "How are you both?"

"Very well, your majesty." Hawke merely replied for the pair as she pulled her body back up.

"I should think so, after yesterday's battle!" The smiling king claimed as he pulled the chair ahead of him and sat down on it, pulling himself forward. "That battle gave me _chills!_ " He said in his grinning pun, folding his own arms as he usually did. While Norman could only exchange his low-smiling awkward expression with the listening Hawke, seemingly holding back from laughing, Hawke responded for them once more.

"Thank you sire."

"I'll say," Astrid nodded in agreement as she approached the bench, grinning also. She carefully placed down her trusty map and other documents on the table below her before continuing as she reached for her chair. "If it wasn't for _you_ we wouldn't have won that battle!"

"Hear, hear." Salnarra chuckled in light agreement as she approached the bench for her own seat.

"Don't let her get a big head now!" The grinning Ariella shot in with as she approached the group, waving a finger at the watching Hawke. She seemingly smiled back at the old woman beneath her disguise before the old woman chuckled this time as she made her final approach and took her seat. "Well I joke but you _did_ well yesterday Hawke, well done." The joking Alchemist turned her grin on the woman behind her, her hands joined ahead of her. The Sniper bowed her head in a seeming show of respect.

"Ah, Lord Selthris!"

The group turned their heads to find the initial frowning young man in question standing in the doorway of the tent, joined by his ever loyal companion; the smiling Leo. He blinked once before smiling in their direction, seemingly engrossed in an earlier conversation with the Mercenary next to him. He strode forward to join the group, accompanied by his ever close companion at his side.

"Hello everyone; sorry we're late, it's my f-."

"You're fine, we've not even started yet," Astrid interrupted with a polite shake of her head and a friendly smile. Selthris nodded back with the grinning Leo at his side. "Where is-?" She began, raising a curious eyebrow upward however, as if hearing them begin to mention her, the person herself walked right in after the pair of boys.

Sevrenna stood in the tent doorway and, though her eyes very quickly caught the watching Selthris', they soon landed on anywhere but his. She averted his gaze by turning to face the main table in general, similarly striding forward. When she felt the tense atmosphere in the air however her eyes narrowed and she stopped moving almost immediately, her eyes darting at the members of the group.

"W-What?" The Swordmaster questioned, unsure. Leo, seemingly in knowing, turned his own eyes away from the young woman as if in awkwardness.

"I'm... glad you're here Sevrenna," Astrid began as she turned her eyes 'round to face the firm-eyed fighter. "We've finally decided on a punishment."

"P-Punishment?" Sevrenna stammered, blinking back over at the listening strategist. "What do you-?"

"For consistently disobeying direct orders we've had no choice but to agree to confine you to your quarters for the next battle," the Advisor claimed as she threaded her fingers together on the table, her head turned to face her. Sevrenna's sky-blue eyes widened in shock and surprise as she listened. "I know this may be hard to hear but-"

" _What?_ " The Swordmaster suddenly and hotly interrupted as she clenched her fists together, narrowing her eyes back at the strategist. Her spicy temper easily reared its head once more and she scowled back as she re-opened her mouth to continue but it was Astrid's turn to interrupt her instead.

"Not once but _twice_ your consistent disobeying has nearly caused irreparable damage to one of the key members of the Allied forces," Astrid spoke loudly, commandingly and firmly. Sevrenna's eyebrows lifted back up to match her new shocked frown and the Swordmaster's eyes couldn't help but dart briefly over to the mentioned Selthris on her side. "We can't overlook it this time; I'm sorry."

"B-But-!" Sevrenna began stammering back in response as she gasped in quiet defeat, her eyes briefly glancing over at the similarly surprised Selthris.

"I-It's okay," Selthris chuckled as he attempted to dismiss the matter off with a wave of his hand and a shake of his head. "I'm _fine_ after all and-"

"That's not the point," Alaric interrupted the youth politely as he turned his head to face the group, frowning contrastingly to his earlier cheer. "If you or any of the key members of this alliance were to perish, and especially to disobeyed orders, then our morale would suffer terribly."

"Knock that on and we lose whatever advantage and momentum we may have gained from our tactician's plans," Salnarra spoke up in agreement from her side of the table. "I'm in agreement with the punishment miss Sevrenna; I'm very sorry."

An awkward kind of silence soon descended down upon the group as they all listened and seemingly awaited Sevrenna's response; though her initial anger had faded when Astrid had brought up the reason for their choice, a frustrated crease of her face mixed with a defeated tinge in her expression. She turned her eyes to finally rest on what may have been the last hope in her line; Selthris stared back with similarly urgently widened eyes, as if worried.

He winced and darted his head around to open his mouth, as if to speak in her favour once more but by then it was too late. The Swordmaster turned her tail very quickly and marched back where she came, her blue eyes seemingly shut as she did so. If the young woman was angry _this_ time, she opted not to show it in her accepting, defeated gesture.

"Let her go Sel," Leo advised from his companion's side as he placed a hand to rest on the silver-haired swordsman's shoulder. "I reckon she'll be fine in time."

"I know _that,_ but...," the young Lord murmured, more to himself than to anyone else as he lowered his eyes in thought. _"Those eyes of hers... they're just like_ mine _used to be."_

As if sensing his very thoughts, the narrow-eyed and frowning Leo merely nodded in silent acknowledgement when he caught the young king's eye.

"I'm sorry Selthris, I know things are already kind of awkward with you two," Astrid attempted to soften the solid atmosphere of the tent. Selthris' eyes lightly widened as he swivelled around to face her. "But it-"

"Had to be done; I know," Selthris chuckled in an agreeing nod, smiling in a friendly manner as he dismissed the concern from her face with a wave of his hand as he usually did. "I'm... only sorry that I wasn't strong enough to..." He went on however as his silver eyes lowered temporarily, his voice dimming to a lingering murmur as his thoughts quickly returned to the incident they were previously referring to.

"Come _on,_ enough of that," Leo interrupted in a brotherly grin as he collided his arm around the lightly surprised boy's neck. Selthris turned his briefly widened eyes over to face the grinning young man as he spoke. "You're _plenty_ strong," the Mercenary claimed as he prodded his free left index finger at his chest before chuckling as he continued. "You just ain't got the _smarts_ to match it."

Selthris couldn't help but lose his short-lived frown in place of a shut-eyed chuckle, his mood lifting. As if ripples in a pond, the rest of the table joined in with light smiles of their own.

Satisfied by the change in atmosphere, Astrid put on an excited grin as she spread out her magical map across the table they all used and opened her mouth to speak.

"Now... the next battle shall be at Odorion Plains!" The Advisor started as she placed some small statue pieces on each corner of the map to keep it laid out. "Let's begin!"

* * *

"General Nicholas," Apheia began as she approached the folded-armed man in question ahead of her. Seemingly clad in the classic Sohanthian amber armour, he swivelled his head half-way 'round to eye the blonde woman as she approached before turning to face her in a nodding sign of respect. The blue-haired Armour Knight at her side, Alder, faithfully followed her at her side. "I was wondering where you were..."

"You _know_ I am to watch over these supply lines _Apheia,_ " Nicholas spoke back to her in his gruff, seemingly irked tone of voice as he glared back at her. "If our intelligence is correct then..."

"Yes," Apheia chose to interrupt him as she raised her head at him in a similar-expressed frown. "The Allied forces are marshalling in this direction."

"Then it's true...," Nicholas growled out as he turned his eyes to the north, a hard-eyed glare on his growing scowl. "Those _insects;_ didn't Half-Moon have enough Aegir from them to _kill_ them all?" The General growled out as he snapped his eyes back on the blonde woman. The long-serving Sohanthian Halberdier merely frowned back at him before placing a hand on her hip as she stared back down at him.

" _K-Killed?!_ "

Apheia's eyes rolled in a mix of frustration and annoyance. " _No,_ " she shot back before continuing. "He was merely defeated; it would seem the Allied force's commander is a sentimental fool."

"Sentimental... fool...?" Nicholas asked, this time in a curious blink. Apheia took his curiosity with a satisfied smile and continued on as urged.

"Just as empress Sohantha has predicted, their commander has proven her correct; he spares any life that he possibly can whether through himself or through his comrades," the Halberdier smiled as she raised her own arms to fold in mirroring. Nicholas' eyes widened, as if surprised by this knowledge. "Half-Moon is alive and well but sleeping; we do not need him for this mission."

"Then...?"

"Yes," Apheia nodded. " _You_ shall be given the most important duty in this military force."

His eyes widened once more and he gasped, as if the orders came directly from the empress herself. Apheia's smile seemed to carry some hint of something other than friendliness as she spoke in reply.

"You are to push them back when they inevitably sent an attack force out to meet yours," the Halberdier explained in her shadow-looming smile. "That is all."

"Is _that_ all?" Nicholas murmured out at first, as if shocked before suddenly turning his shock into narrow-eyed hilarity. He pulled his head back and laughed up at the morning sky overhead before snapping it back down to smirk toothily at his comrade and class-man. "With _my_ force I will _easily_ push them back," the General hotly declared in his superior smirk. Apheia's own smile was soon lost to her as she quietly listened. " _Far_ better than _you_ ever did... Apheia."

Silence descended down upon the trio and, as Alder listened he darted his eyes between the pair. He found the narrow-eyed smirking Nicholas watching his comrade like a hawk, almost as if for any change in her facial expression. Conversely Apheia's quiet frown had turned icy cold and, with it, her glassy eyes had turned limp and half-closed almost as if uninterested in the conversation entirely.

But they both knew better.

Finally responding after the awkward and biting silence, Apheia merely bowed back at the smirking-faced Nicholas, eliciting a shocked frown from him in reply.

"We are _all_ counting on you, general Nicholas," the Halberdier complimented in a regaining of her smile, bent forwards in her pleasant-mannered bow, her left forearm held in place horizontally across her armoured chest. The named General in question gained a twitch to his now annoyed frown, as if disappointed in his comrade's expression. Apheia turned her eye-opening smile as she briefly re-raised her head to face him in her finishing sentence. "May the strength of Sohantha suffocate your enemies."

With that, the pair of Sohanthian officers about turned and left the firm-frowning Nicholas to his thoughts. As they marched a sizeable and safe distance away from him, the surprised-faced Alder ripped his eyes away from the general before turning to face his commander.

"That was just _cruel_ commander," Alder spoke up in an initial frown, almost as if criticising her decision. The blonde listened quietly as she marched forward, an unemotional frown written across her countenance. "To give him false _hope_ like that..."

His words, this time, brought a low-growing smirk to her face and she re-opened her mouth to respond. "Shh, Alder...," the Halberdier grinned forward as she raised her left index finger to rest on her lips. When she re-lowered it however her eyes narrowed forward. "He shall be the stone with which I step on... to progress."

–

 _ **3**_

" _Selthris and Leo; reinforce Draffion Castle! Wait for your opening at Raflan plains!"_

The listening Selthris nodded in his hard-eyed narrow at the far-off sealed stronghold ahead of him. Leo nodded alongside him in his own firm frown, the two young men standing alone just atop the battlements of the castle.

" _Ulric, Kay, Bernhard and George; I want you three to hold the frontlines with the rest of our soldiers!"_

In another part of the battlefield the similar-expressed Paladin commander nodded as he watched down the field only to find hordes of approaching amber; the Sohanthian army. The grinning Kay and frowning George similarly sat upon their horses at his side, the old unit of Aselia. The only outsider from the country did not seem out of place regardless; the similarly hard-frowning Bernhard sat atop his own horse, watching ahead of himself.

" _Gorlin and Gerard; take as much heat from the sides as you can! Whittle down their numbers!"_

Responding as his far-off comrades did, the ever grinning Gorlin nodded as he unsheathed two of his special swords, twirling them around as he did so. The hard-frowning Gerard stood just behind him, hands gripped tightly on his steel lance and shield; a contrast to his confident comrade.

"Got it!" The Coremondian captain shot back aloud from ahead of the small squad of soldiers behind them both.

" _Alaric and Hawke; I want you both to keep the Sohanthian march_ away _from Draffion Castle! Keep them pushed back!"_

"Yes, milady, as always!" Alaric exclaimed excitedly as he twirled his personal axe across his broad armoured shoulders. The hard-eyed and seemingly frowning Hawke opted to nod wordlessly behind him, as if in agreement.

" _Edgar and Sabine; you two are to back-up any unit on the frontlines experiencing trouble! Do not overextend yourselves!"_

"Noted." Edgar merely spoke from the back of the main attack force, his stance in a leaning position. His steel axe similarly leant across his shoulders as he stared forward.

"Yeah... gotcha." Sabine nodded in a brief shut-eyed frown as he twirled his own steel bow, feeling for the quiver on his back.

" _Tina and Garrus; I want you both to act as a flier to assist the inevitable wounded back and forth! Messages will also be your responsibility!"_

The soft-frowning Tina nodded from atop her pegasus, the flapping Archibald, overlooking the battlefield in general. The far firmer flaps of the dragon floating next to her made her turn in its direction; the contrastingly hard-frowning Garrus also nodded.

"Acknowledged." The Dragon Knight responded with, remaining at the ready.

" _Selthris and Leo; I'm afraid we can spare no backup units for your own, I am very sorry,"_ Astrid's voice continued to reverberate across the linked up captains and officers in the Allied forces. Selthris' eyes narrowed as he listened. _"The Sohanthian army is just that; its numbers are far too high to spread any more soldiers out."_

"We will be fine," the young king merely replied with, his eyes still narrowed in tandem with his frowning face. "Sometimes a smaller force like this is better in working together unhindered." He reasoned with in his frown. Listening in, the grinning Leo raised up his right back-fist toward the younger warrior next to him; a silent gesture. Selthris blinked over at him temporarily before chuckling very quietly to himself and returning the gesture.

" _Just be_ careful. _If the enemy becomes aware that it is you in that unit they_ will _pour everything they have into killing or capturing you,"_ the young woman's voice intoned out once more. _"You two may be the only ones fast enough together in the army to accomplish this but you're not invincible either."_

"Don't worry about us Astrid!" Leo called out in his usual confident grin. "This is _your_ plan! We haven't failed yet!"

They heard a chuckle in her echoing voice, carried by her Aegir.

" _With a little luck... we should be all right!"_ The Advisor's voice called back out in response before finishing her orders. _"All available units... prepare for high-level combat!"_

* * *

Ulric narrowed his eyes forward at the fast approaching soldiers and, as their charging war cries grew louder, he shot his legs into the horse he sat upon to carry it forward. As if responding to their older commander, his group of three sub-ordinates followed wordlessly behind, readying their respective weapons.

As if to lock-on to the narrow-eyed Paladin commander however, even as their respective forces clashed in a din of cacophonous noise, a single Cavalier in the enemy frontlines seemed to target him. Ulric's eyes precisely caught him and similarly tightened as if the grip on his silver lance.

"You!"

Ulric's ears perked up as he swerved his body to the side to evade the man's obvious forward joust before swiping back at him with his own lance. The nameless Cavalier grunted as he was sent skidding back with his neighing horse. With surprising athletic ability it side-flipped to evasion and landed in a similarly hard-eyed glare.

Ulric got a full look at his new enemy this time and they took each other in around the discordant sounds of battle. He sat in a firm-eyed scowl, most of his hair and outer face covered by the amber helmet he wore. An excited look seared in his eyes as he stared back at the frowning Paladin, as if exhilarated by something other than the battle itself.

"You... are one of Sathryon's _only_ legacies left...," the Cavalier began lowly over at him. Somehow, above the din of battle, Ulric heard him. He narrowed his eyes in his firm-frowning glare back at him. "You and he _obliterated_ Naerith battalions all on your poor lonesome...," he began explaining as he twirled his steel lance around his left hand, grinning. His horse clopped slowly, almost deliberately around the night-time battlefield. "You even both resisted _Sohanthian_ attack forces..." The nameless Cavalier finished with, this time in a seeming low scowl as he did so.

Ulric stared back at him wordlessly, as if waiting for him to continue.

"I'll bet you don't remember the woman that _you_ killed all those years ago," he warned over as his horse turned its head and body so he could face the Paladin threateningly. Ulric stared back and raised a curious eyebrow upward as he listened. The nameless Cavalier growled as he swung his steel lance up to point hatefully up at him as he continued on. "They called her the 'light' of Sohantha."

"The 'light'..." Ulric murmured out as he narrowed his eyes and lowered them in quiet thought. Widening them however when a memory came to the surface, he shot them back up to stare at his new enemy.

An image of a long-blue haired woman forced its way into his mind, wielding a steel great-lance.

"H-Her!"

"Yes, _her!_ " The nameless Cavalier shot back in a hissing low scowl as he scrunched his face up in his firm-expressed hatred. "Do you remember _now?_ "

"But that was... at least... fifteen...?"

" _Twenty_ years ago, actually," the Sohanthian Cavalier corrected for him, glaring once more as he spoke. Ulric's eyes widened as he listened. "You _killed_ my benefactor and mother."

"If I remember her correctly...," the Coremondian Paladin murmured out in remembrance and thought as he lowered his eyes once more. "She was... very strong," he reminisced briefly. "So... you are Ellanore's son." Ulric finished out-with as he re-narrowed his eyes forward back at the now grinning young man.

"Got it in _one,_ " the yet nameless Cavalier chuckled mirthlessly as he smirked back at the Paladin before twirling his steel lance expertly once more. "Though you're not quite as _sharp_ as I had expected..."

"What is _your_ name... oh son of lady Ellanore?" Ulric shot back, raising a curious eyebrow upwards as he did so. The young man's smirk soon left him in place of a half-confused, half-annoyed frown and one of his eyebrows twitched up in response.

"My _name?_ " The Cavalier hissed over before re-asserting his slit-eyed hatred. "What do _you_ care?"

"You may have decided on me but _I_ have not on _you,_ " the Coremondian lance and swordsman replied with a hard-eyed frown. "Now... what is your name?" He repeated, seemingly for the final time. The watching Cavalier glared back at him wordlessly for a tense couple of seconds before finally opening his scowling mouth to retort, his voice filled with hatred.

"Ciaran."

"Very well then, sir Ciaran!" Ulric called out loudly enough, this time for the battlefield itself to hear. He twirled his own silver lance around and his horse re-narrowed its eyes forward, as if to prepare itself. "I will give you a chance at the vengeance you so plainly seek!" He clamoured over at the silently scowling and staring Cavalier. "Come _here!_ " The Paladin called out once more as he kicked at his horse's neighing sides, charging at the younger man. "Face me!"

–

 _ **4**_

Astrid's eyes darted around the magical map she always utilised on the ground below her. She sat safely in the protection of a very small rear guard at the interlude between Farrador and Odorion. Talia sat with her and watched the many pieces engage with one another; as if a magical chess game.

"I have no idea how you _follow_ all of this...," the Thunder Mage managed out in a wide-eyed gasp. "It seems... impossible."

"Not at all!" the Advisor shot back in a friendly chuckle as she briefly shut her eyes in facing the surprised-faced Talia before soon re-facing the map below. "When you're playing tactician you can't miss a single thing!"

Talia nodded in quiet frowning acknowledgement before further movement at an unknown spot made her snap her eyes down in surprise. Astrid followed her soon after and widened her eyes.

"Is that-?"

"Yes!" The Advisor exclaimed suddenly, as if suddenly being given the keys to a cell long shut. She shut her eyes and slapped her hands together, channelling her Aegir to speak to the army collectively as she usually did.

* * *

" _Selthris and Leo;_ now _is your chance! Break in there and ruin their morale!"_

Barely waiting for a second sentence, the silver-eyed swordsman and the grinning Mercenary followed their strategist's words. They both leapt forward and, in a show of their magnificent speed, they both easily made their approach to the once shut stronghold ahead of their earlier position. As if to greet them, the pair of Halberdier guards that had previously just opened it turned their wide-eyed stares at the blurs of lightning and wind before soon falling to the floor in a simultaneous pained cough.

The firm-frowning Selthris and smirking Leo soon re-materialised inside the front-end of Raflan plains, their stances similarly leant to their sides. The Sohanthian soldiers dotted around the landscape all began to shout and exclaim in growing panic and concern, running past one another as they did.

"L-Lightning! It's him!"

"Who's the other one?!"

"They're attacking!"

Waiting for no more words, Selthris exchanged his hard frown with the confident grin of his close companion's before splitting up to both their sides in obvious but lightning-fast attack. The Sohanthian soldiers stopped rushing and though some raised up their shields in attempt to block the incoming attacks, even their quick reactions were not enough to protect them from the deft sword-work the pair of Aselian warriors dealt them.

As if meeting dead-centre in the middle however the pair of sword-fighters blazed across the battlefield in a mad zig-zag like race to the finish, leaving a lot of pain in their wake. In the middle of the battlefield stood a smirking, amber armoured man in a simple goatee. He stare down at the pair from atop a battlement, watching them. Selthris and Leo's eyes were soon pulled up to the commanding, folded-armed figure.

"We've been _waiting_ for _you_ two...," the General classed man grinned down at them hungrily before taking one of his arms free of his stature and pointing it down slowly at the pair. His eyes re-narrowed in tandem with his words, matching the malicious chuckle upon his lips. " _Now._ "

As if to match the growing concern on the Aselian pair's faces, an alarming number of men walked out from behind the battlements, small walls and the like. Selthris' and Leo's eyes darted around themselves, suddenly finding themselves surrounded. They opted not to panic however, even when the grinning and looming shadow of the watching General above them raised his hand upward once more, as if to signify the commencement of the attack.

Reacting to their commander's words, the nameless soldiers all readied their bows to aim at the frowning pair before affixing arrows. Leo turned to nod at the mutually expressed Selthris and the pair brought their left hands to rest at their chest, index and forefinger rose together as they did so. Finally finishing their preparation the Sohanthian ambush unit all fired their arrows together in unison; a veritable air full of projectiles.

Almost immediately the doubled swordsmen pair reacted; their Aegir stirred at their feet and, as they widened their eyes and began to rotate together simultaneously. A hurricane of wind and lightning-style Quintessence billowed up around their position and, as the arrows made contact, they were either cut by the wind rotational shield of Aegir that Leo had constructed or fizzled in electricity from Selthris'.

"Hmph... impressive," the nameless General grinned above them. As their defensive technique soon dissipated their Aegir together, the pair turned their eyes up to watch the tall man suddenly drop down to the ground. The Sohanthian unit around them all exclaimed as they attempted to hold their ground from the sheer force of impact he made in his landing. The General's grin still carried him as he walked forward and swung out a steel great-lance from his back. "You aren't going anywhere _near_ our supplies... little Aselians..." The man chuckled, full of a sadistic kind of mirth as he used his free left hand to rub at his goatee.

Selthris and Leo stared back at him as they readied their own weapons.

–

 _ **5**_

Ulric gasped out as his silver lance was parried and he was smacked dead-centre in his armour with his enemy's own steel great-lance. The previously charging Ciaran let out an audible click of his tongue in an obvious gesture of disappointment as he passed the falling Paladin. The older man grunted as he peeled himself up off the battlefield, turning his eye on his right. It widened when he caught the fast-pursuing form of his scowling enemy atop his horse; the Cavalier and his steed leapt up, aiming down towards him.

He was going to crush his head with his horse.

With that thought raging in his head, the older Paladin grunted as he used his very Quintessence to vault himself backward in evasion. The growling Ciaran landed just where he rested not half a second less and, as he did, he shot his steel great-lance in a stab to his left. Ulric shot up his silver lance to block the attack and found himself landing in a pained, cringing skid. Ciaran turned his horse around and softened his glower into a mere firm frown; he soon dismounted his steed, opting to advance toward the sitting form of his opponent.

"It's hard for me to think of you as my mother's killer when I see you in that embarrassing position...," the Cavalier murmured out as he marched slowly forwards, twirling his steel great-lance around his hand expertly. Ulric narrowed his eyes up at his opponent and pulled himself up from the ground, similarly twirling his weapon around. "But that... will _not_ save you tonight." Ciaran finished out in a hateful growling glower before swiftly leaping forward and slamming his weapon against the grunting Ulric's.

"Rgh!" The older Paladin grunted out as he shot his spear up in a diagonal defensive formation. Sparks emitted between the pair, the scowling face of the Sohanthian Cavalier above him and the teeth grit form of the Aselian captain below.

Finally however, seemingly reaching into his strength, Ulric let out a sudden yell as he spun around in rotation. His Aegir sparked loudly with him and, as he did, the wide-eyed Ciaran was forced back the way he came; the Cavalier landed from a deft back-flip, eyeing his enemy hungrily as he laid down on one knee.

"I am _not_ the kind of adversary you can just _put down!_ " Ulric called over angrily as he swept his silver lance across the air, as if for effect. Ciaran merely stared back in his hate-filled glare, leaning on one side. The Paladin shot his free left hand forward to pull his enemy toward him and similarly scowled. "Show me your strength!"

As if reacting to his gesture, the young man's form soon blurred and Ulric's eyes narrowed at him thoughtfully.

An after-image perhaps?

The Paladin snapped his left arm behind him to block the scowling and grunting Ciaran's sudden diagonal kick, his own eyes slitted. Easily disappearing once more he re-appeared in the Aselian captain's top right, forcing him to diagonally defend the young man's vertical slash attack. Sparks emitted between the pair once more and, as before, the blue-haired Cavalier's form distorted. Ulric resisted the urge to roll his eyes up at him, expecting another simple attack at his side or undefended rear.

He spun around in his hard frown and, sure enough, the young Cavalier re-appeared high above him, lance wielding and all. His confidence brimmed in spite of his opponent's advantage of youth but, before he could display this, he felt his position tremble. With widened eyes the Paladin gasped when he found his standing position threatened; somehow the youth managed to find a way to attack him at both sides. As he dropped to the ground, his legs swept, he found another form of the boy leaning under ahead of him.

An Aegir clone of some kind?

Finally allowed another opening to attack with, Ciaran grunted as he sent his knee, coated with Aegir into the older warrior's armoured chest. Ulric's eyes widened as the wind was quite literally kicked from him and, as he was sent spiralling across the battlefield, he didn't notice his indigo shaded armour drop from the sheer impact of his opponent's attack. He rolled across the ground roughly, grunting from the pain. Utilising his wind-style Quintessence however he used his free left hand to push up from the ground in a swift spiralling somersault, soon landing in a hard-eyed growl. When he re-opened his eyes however, he widened them when he all he could see were the forms of Allied forces and Sohanthian soldiers fighting.

Where was Ciaran?!

"So _old._ "

He gasped and a lightning bolt of panic shot through the Paladin's system when he heard the Cavalier's voice whisper menacingly behind him. Though he attempted to turn to defend himself, he found himself too slow to react; the blue-haired Cavalier smashed his right leg into the man's back-plate of armour, sending him careering back the way he previously came. Ulric grunted and coughed out from the sudden force before re-opening his eyes ahead of him. He widened them one final time.

The lightning-quick form of Ciaran stood waiting for him, his steel great-lance poised ready to finish him. Ulric finally noticed his lack of chest-plate armour on his front and his panic began to grow. Unfortunately however, even as he attempted to right himself to counter-attack, it seemed to all be in vain; Ulric's chest landed perfectly on the glistening blade of his glaring enemy's steel great-lance.

 _SQUELCH_

Time seemed to slow down for the pair and, as he sunk slowly down into the blade, Ulric's wide-eyed and open-mouthed frown carried him further downward. His grip on the silver lance in his right hand soon lessened and it clattered to the ground in a noisy clang. The noise seemed to attract the nearby fighting forms of his fellow comrades; the wide-eyed Kay, George and even Bernhard all snapped their eyes in his direction, visibly shocked.

"U-Ulric-sensei..." George mouthed out as he watched the sight before him, pulling his steel sword from a gurgling Sohanthian soldier. Bernhard could only silently watch from his side of the battlefield, visibly entranced and horrified.

" _NOOOOOO!_ " Kay called desperately from her younger brother's side; with shocking speed, the young Cavalier leapt from her own horse, her steel lance bared back. She gripped it with both arms and her Aegir burned into her nature of fire to match her desperate-faced scowl. Ciaran didn't even attempt to turn his head to face the young blonde plummeting down to meet him; even as she shot her spear down slam him he brought up an invisible shield of Aegir. Her fire mixed with it as she smashed her weapon and her body against them, grunting lowly. Ciaran merely glared silently ahead of himself at the night-time battlefield before him, his scowl still strong on his face.

Finally however, the Sohanthian's Aegir shield grew so strong that the Aselian Cavalier was forced to back-flip the way she came in evasion. Finally allowed some breathing space, the scowling Ciaran used his surprising strength to yank the steel great-lance from the coughing body of his enemy. Ulric's cough stained the fast approaching ground and, as he fell with it, the Sohanthian Cavalier spun his weapon high above him, spraying the Paladin's blood around his position with it.

"You fucking _bastard!_ " Kay cried over in a mix of anger, sudden hate and hurt. Her grip on her steel lance grew so tense her armoured fingers began to cause noise within themselves. Tears dripped from her scowling face and, as she twirled her steel lance around to presumably ready herself for her opponent, the similarly grimacing face of her enemy half-turned to meet her through a left narrowed eye.

"Kay, no, don't-" George called over, initially very quietly as he had long since dismounted his horse, jogging over to meet her. When he saw her leap up into the air once more in a deft somersault his eyes widened and he gasped in horror. " _No!_ Kay!"

* * *

"Come now!" The nameless General laughed as he parried the grunting Leo's sword strike, chasing him across the supply camp in a wide grin. "You are of the reported _Team Three!_ " He called over as he smashed his knee into the gasping youth's chest-plate of indigo shaded armour, sending him off his feet temporarily.

The Sohanthian General laughed once more as he turned his body around in a perfect 360 spinning splash attack with his steel great-lance, sending the grunting youth careering into the large hard wooden fort behind him. As it gave off a loud crash, the General merely turned his grin around behind him as he felt a presence attempt to rush him from behind. Raising up his left amber armoured arm to block the newly formed Selthris' left air-kick he widened his own eyes at his opponent's new change.

Black electricity coursed around him in short bursts and a cloak of veritable Aegir floated around his suspended mid-air body. His once silvery eyes had also switched colour to a menacing ebony to match the colour of his strange lightning. When Selthris' briefly surprised eyes darted in his arm's direction the Sohanthian General chuckled wickedly as he spun around to slam his knee forward.

The suspended swordsman grunted as he shot up his black lightning-encased arms in a defensive 'x' to block. Even in his old mode change, Selthris found himself sent rocketing backward from the impact of his opponent's strength. The young Lord shot down his arms and glared forward in his grimace as he watched his enemy. The lightning that coursed around his body crackled quietly as he narrowed his eyes at the grinning General; the Sohanthian officer merely chuckled once more across at him before suddenly losing his smirk as he shot his steel great-lance into the ground roughly.

Selthris had to steady himself to make sure he didn't fall from the sheer strength he seemed to command; an unnatural earthquake, seemingly brought on by his stirring Aegir, caused the ground to shake roughly. As before the Sohanthian soldiers dotted around them all exclaimed out loudly as they watched, attempting to keep their balance. Finally however, the grunting General's scowl grew worse as he suddenly gave vent to an effort-filled yell, his Quintessence billowing upward. Selthris could only stare in quiet disbelief.

What was he-?

 _DROOM_

As if to mock him a single bead of sweat fell from the newly grinning General and, as he tested his left arm and ringed it around the air, Selthris gasped in shock, his eyes widening.

How did he-?

"Surprised are we?" The nameless General grinned over in his direction as he tore his eyes away from his ringing arm, his head leant as he spoke. "We've known about you for a _while,_ son of Sathryon," he chuckled as he used his now responsive left hand to rub at his short brown goatee. "That black lightning of yours... it's a peculiar thing, no?" The older man explained briefly as he pointed directly over at the young man's Aegir cloak. Selthris' eyes narrowed silently as he listened. "I imagine the Quintessence in those bolts are supposed to affect the nervous system in other people's Aegir pathways."

Once again, the young Aselian Lord's black eyes widened. As if striking a target in a perfect shot, the General chuckled in a satisfied chuckle.

"Bingo," he called over in his narrow-eyed chortle before continuing. "Do you _really_ think you could persist in defying the _empire?_ " The man challenged over before soon losing his smirk to a hateful hissing scowl. "Pathetic remnant of a deceased _clan._ "

As if to respond to his words however, the similarly scowling Leo plummeted down from above, seemingly having gave pursuit earlier. Not even turning his head to face the desperate-faced Mercenary above and behind him, the nameless General snapped his steel great-lance backward in a seemingly impossible manoeuvre. Leo's narrow-eyed scowl soon switched to a wide-eyed frown, shocked and all. The General finally half-turned a hate-filled eye on his enemy behind him, the pair's weapon struggle emitting sparks between their stares.

"Aselian _scum._ "

With that, the General merely grunted as he broke the hold and swung his steel great-lance across the yelping Mercenary's face, visibly scarring him with a diagonal slash. Selthris' ebony eyes widened as he watched the spiralling form of his companion fly across the field. His eyes darted down to the pursuing Sohanthian General below him, frighteningly fast and all. Urgency gripped at the young Lord's heart and his panic soon began to grow as he shot forward to give chase himself.

The ground choked up pieces of dirt and even small rocks from the sudden velocity of his leap and Aegir. Selthris' grit-toothed frown grew worse when he saw the similarly scowling form of his opponent easily catch up with the sailing Leo.

" _I'm not gonna make it!"_

Widening his eyes he pulled the Hakai back and grunted as he tossed it with all of his might forward, aiming for a specific area. Speeding off in a side-direction he soon disappeared from the watching soldiers' view. The nameless Sohanthian General narrowed his eyes up at his defenceless descending enemy before raising up his steel great-lance to finish the attack with. Fortunately for the spiralling Mercenary however when he shot his spear down to smash the flying Leo back down to earth, his weapon hit the similarly soaring form of a familiar sword.

The General's eyes widened and he resisted the urge to gasp when he found the black-lightning coated sword suddenly blurred once; as if by magic the similarly scowling Selthris re-appeared holding the blade and the two were locked in another struggle together.

"Space-Time Aegir Art?!" The General finally gasped out as he re-widened his eyes forward, another bead of sweat forming at his temple. He soon snorted however as he shot his re-narrowed eyes back to glare at his enemy. "No... not quite...," he muttered out before opening his mouth once more. "Apheia, the time is _now!_ " The nameless General called out suddenly, his eyes briefly leaving the young silver-haired swordsman's. Selthris' eyes widened and he snapped his head around behind him to find an oddly familiar form approaching the fallen body of his weakened comrade.

The Halberdier bodyguard of the empress' from the summit?

Why is _she_ here?!

The blonde woman stepped out, as if from the shadows, her arms folded. She regarded the duelling pair with a momentary firm frown, as if lightly annoyed by his order before soon turning her head around. She spoke something unintelligible from the distance she stood at and, sure enough, a blue-haired Armour Knight marched into frame just behind her. Utilising his great muscles, the man frowned firmly as he grasped the shut-eyed and bleeding Leo. Selthris' night-black eyes widened in growing horror when he realised their intentions. He broke the hold of the enemy he was engaged with and about-turned immediately to give pursuit. His hard eyes narrowed at the slow turning forms of general Apheia and her Armour Knight aide; her arms still folded as she regarded him with a mere frowning glance.

As if to dash his hopes completely, the ground suddenly rumbled fiercely and a huge wall of Aegir erupted between him and his target. Selthris grunted in a mix of frustration and panic as he skid his feet across the ground, spitting up rocks and dust. Blocking the area off completely, he snapped his narrow-eyed scowl around behind him to find the smirking-faced General watching him from his previous position. His steel great-lance lay thrust into the ground below him, seemingly the catalyst for his defensive response.

" _No...,"_ Selthris thought to himself as his eyes twitched lightly. The black lightning that encased his body gave off a couple of light crackles as he glared back at his enemy. _"If I can't... beat him_ right _now then..."_

"This is the _end_ of your little campaign," the nameless General called over, surprisingly quietly as he slowly advanced on the scowling Selthris. His voice, carried over by the wind, was remarkably easier to hear than he had expected. "It has been a while since general Nicholas of the Sohanthian army has received any honours... but I suppose capturing or even _killing_ the last remaining son of Sathryon... will do." Nicholas finally introduced himself with a gradual growing grin as he twirled the steel great-lance around his right arm, marching forward deliberately sluggishly.

I can't afford to waste any time here, Selthris thought to himself as he glared forward.

His eyes narrowed when his cloak of Aegir billowed up even rougher, indicating a sudden raise in strength.

" _I'll kill him_ here! _"_

With that single thought urging him on, Selthris shot forward to meet his enemy, scowling terribly. The grinning Nicholas' expression seemed to tighten even further as he approached and he shot his spear diagonally upward to block the obvious strike Selthris attacked with. Though Nicholas had connected with the boy's body once more he had seemed to overcome the ebony shaded electricity that Selthris' buff commanded.

"Tch!" Selthris managed out in a mix of impatience and anger before soon disappearing. Nicholas chuckled as he snapped his body around to block the young man's kick, though sending him skidding only a few yards back he held his ground.

Selthris re-appeared once more at his legs, attempting a sweep. The Sohanthian General merely laughed as he hopped upwards to evade the attack completely before roundhouse kicking the young man across his face.

"Gugh!"

 _SMASH_

In less than a second after being hit by the shocking speedy General, Selthris' sailing form smashed upon the rock wall of Aegir that his enemy had brought up earlier. His body visibly sunk into the depression in the rock he had caused from the sheer impact of his hit and the boy could only shut his eyes in pain as blood lightly trickled down the sides of mouth. Offering him no time to rest _or_ recover however, Selthris felt the fast form of his opponent collide his steel great-lance into his own _wall_ from the other side. The young Vikeruce king let out a shocked, wide-eyed gasp once more when he felt him move behind him.

 _SQUELCH_

Alongside the sound of his buzzing lightning, Selthris heard the sound of his enemy's weapon – and felt it – pierce through his armour _and_ his flesh. The young swordsman's eyes widened once more and time seemed to slow down for the pair; Selthris coughed out a significant amount of blood from his mouth, staining the ground below him.

As if in response however the watching Sohanthian ambush unit dotted around the supply camp all erupted into uproarious cheer, calling in approving for their commander. General Nicholas stood in his grin, his left arm now gripping his steel great-lance, the rest of his body leant to the side as he watched the wide-eyed Selthris sink down back to the blade of the weapon.

"L...," Selthris began lowly, his eyes very quickly growing tired; his vision soon blurred and the forms of the screaming soldiers ahead and the fort itself began to grow wavy, like a dream. "... eo..."

With his seemingly final words parted from his mouth, Selthris body was yanked back from the lance that Nicholas used to impale him with. Time slowed down very briefly for the grunting Lord as he slowly dropped toward the ground, his blood sailing up to meet his descent.

His consciousness faded just before he hit the ground.

–

 _ **6**_

Astrid's eyes caught the sudden change in the chess-like board map below her; her eyes darted over to the top left of the map. The two pieces symbolising Leo and Selthris dimmed to a low light, barely visible.

"T-That's bad isn't it?" Talia managed to stammer out from the young Advisor's side, visibly concerned. Astrid's eyes shot back over to the centre of the map and found a similar issue happening with another of the pieces on the frontlines. A sign of her old habit, Astrid brought her left fingernails up to her mouth, biting at them in growing concern.

"Yeah... it is." The Advisor merely murmured out before lowering her hand and soon slapping them together, shutting her eyes in tandem with it once more. _"Leo, Selthris! Are you there?"_

The young woman waited for a few seconds and, as they grew in time, so did her worry. A bead of sweat began to drop from her forehead and her eyes scrunched harder to match her worried expression.

" _Leo, Selthris, respond!"_

After barely two more seconds the frustrated Advisor re-opened her eyes and briefly shut off the Aegir channel. Talia winced as she regarded her team commander in a similarly worried frown.

"They're not answering... are they?"

"No...," Astrid murmured as she turned her eyes back down to the map in concern, biting her nails once more. "Something's happened to them."

"So then-?"

"I think Ulric might be fatally wounded too," Astrid interrupted with softly as she briefly surveyed the centre of the board, her eyes darting across the rest of it as she spoke. "... yeah... we gotta pull our forces back."

"That's our next COA?" Her Thunder Mage companion replied with in a frown as she pulled herself up from the ground. Astrid slapped her hands together to open the Quintessence channels once more before nodding up at her, also frowning.

"Yes! Go inform Edgar's regiment to pull their forces back; I'll tell the rest!"

With that order the Thunder Mage turned on her heel and headed off for the frontlines.

" _Tina, Garrus; I need one of you to go check on Raflan plains for me and another to order as many men back as we can!"_ The strategist relayed in her brief, shut-eyed frown. _"George, Bernhard, Kay; get your forces out of there_ now! _"_

* * *

"Well... we _would_ but...," Bernhard murmured as he stared forward at the leaping and screaming Kay. Ciaran glared back at her hateful expression as he back-dashed through her wild and unpredictable strikes. "One of us is in a tunnel..." The Nomad Trooper murmured out as he frowned his concerned eyes forward at the battle before him.

"Kay!" George called out as he leapt forward off his horse, raising his own steel lance upward. With both arms gripped on it, the young Cavalier scrunched his eyes shut as he cascaded toward them, slamming it in between the pair. Forcing the pair apart, the growling Kay skid back from her earlier attack, glaring. Ciaran, similarly scowling also skid back in recovery, his body leant to the side in his glower.

"George!" The livid Cavalier called over at her younger brother. "Let me through; I'm going to _kill_ this mother-fucker!"

"No!" Her sibling cried back as he yanked the steel lance back out from the ground, turning to face her in a narrow-eyed frown. "Astrid's already issued the orders; we're falling back!"

"You two better come to a decision _now,_ " Bernhard called over lightly as he twirled the steel sword in his right hand, eyes darting between the pair of Cavalier siblings and the glaring blue-haired Ciaran. "I can't see this ending well otherwise."

"We _have_ come to a decision Bernhard," George offered his comrade in an acknowledging nod before turning to face the growling Kay. "Our orders are to retreat!"

"B-But Ulric-sensei-"

" _KAY!_ " George suddenly called over, half-angrily and half-urgently, a firm frown on his face as he spoke. The listening Ciaran raised his eyebrow, briefly surprised by his enemy. Bernhard similarly furrowed his brow in light shock as he listened.

"Your brother's right; we have no choice!" Bernhard called out as he very quickly made his way around the battlefield to join the main forces behind him, keeping his suspicious eye and his body faced toward the similarly glaring Ciaran. "Come on kid; don't let your mentor's death be in vain."

His words had a special kind of echoing quality to them; the narrow-eyed Kay watched her glowering opponent, her eyes couldn't help but dart back to the fallen body of her unit's commander, now seemingly unable to move at all. As her younger brother moved to her side she felt him knock her chest-plate of armour and her attention was tore from her gaze.

" _Now,_ Kay." The younger Cavalier reinforced, this time in a much lower tone of voice. Kay frowned back at him, her scowl long-lost to her in favour of a frustrated frown. Her brow lightly furrowed to match her softening expression before swiftly turning back to a hard scowl as she tore her gaze away once more, opting to swing her body around to walk back toward her horse. While George, Bernhard and the rest of the Allied forces' military followed their generals' movements, the watching Ciaran merely stood next to the fallen body of Ulric. He opted to merely observe the universally retreating Allied forces.

"Captain! Shouldn't we give chase?" A Halberdier called out as he walked out from the Sohanthian forces behind him. Ciaran didn't even bother to turn his head around to face his comrade and merely shook his head in his low scowl.

"No," the Cavalier claimed. "Our orders are to hold our men to this point and besides...," he began again as he eyed the bloody corpse on his right menacingly. "I've gotten what I wanted out of this."

The Halberdier, listening in, traced his eyes and winced lightly as he watched the fallen form of the Paladin.


	10. Behind Enemy Lines

**Chapter 9: Behind Enemy Lines; To Find a Friend**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"Who Am I" - Final Fantasy VII OST.** Scene **2** (Second Half)._

 _**"Graceful Assassin" - Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories OST.** Scene **4** (First Half)._

* * *

 _In the battle at Odorion Plains, the Allied forces have unfortunately_ finally _hit a brick wall in their incredible progress and momentum. On their strategist's call, single-man units Leo Evans and Selthris Vikeruce both find themselves ambushed in their_ own _attempt to ambush the Sohanthian supply line. Their efforts to cut off their enemy's provisions has ended in abject failure and are now both presumed missing in action._

 _Meanwhile on the frontlines, Ulric's unit has been bested in single combat with the appearance of a new enemy; a young man with a grudge to bear by the name of Ciaran. Unlike the murky fates of Leo and Selthris, Ulric's Aegir points have been confirmed to have greyed out, signifying his inevitable death._

 _With the defeat of not one or even two but_ three _of their powerful soldiers and a key member of their alliance, the Allied forces morale has been dealt a devastating blow. Seemingly thinking of everything, the unit responsible for their defeat opt to cut all communication off with the rest of their Sohanthian military and general Nicholas of the interrogation corps does what he does best..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

" _Wake_ up _Selthris."_

" _You can't die yet."_

" _You still have a job to do;_ wake up. _"_

" _Sel..."_

He gasped, eyes widening and sweating; they darted around the area he now sat in.

A chair?

Why aren't I dead, he thought.

Whose voices were those?

His eyes scrunched shut and he tried to move, finding his arms and legs bound to the similarly screwed in chair he sat in. With a final grunt he gasped as he stopped, eyes widening when he realised his lack of strength.

" _What's... wrong with me?"_ The Lord thought to himself in widened eyes. As if to respond to his silent questions however a sudden cracking noise made him snap his eyes upward. The door seemingly leading to this one exit room opened up and a familiar and now intimidating presence greeted him. The smirking-faced General he had once fought merely hours past.

General Nicholas.

As he strode into the room and the door opened fully with him, the firm-frowning general Apheia followed him in, her arms contrastingly folded. Selthris' eyes darted between the two as numerous situations and possible ideas floated in and out of his head.

Was he taken captive?

Was he _dead?_

What happened to Leo?

"Good evening...," Nicholas began lowly as he advanced on the young man, his shoes clicking against the black and white tiles of the room. "Selthris Vikeruce."

The Lord could barely string two words together in response let alone open his mouth to do so; his eyes continued to dart between the pair, as if a scared animal as their shadows began to loom over him.

"I don't know _why_ you do this Nicholas," Apheia murmured out in her folded-armed frown, watching the boy below her as if he were a mere insect. "It's... depraved."

"That 'deprivation' has scored our motherland numerous victories over its _pathetic_ rivals _Apheia,_ " Nicholas hissed back as he half-turned an eye on the younger blonde. The Halberdier seemingly opted to listen as she kept her frown upon her face. "I'd keep my nose _out_ of matters that don't concern you..."

Apheia merely stared back at the General for what felt like an awkward couple of seconds before, finally, she nodded in a defeated frown.

"May the strength of Sohantha... suffocate your enemies..." She began in reply as she bowed, her arms still folded before swiftly turning on her heel, presumably to leave. When the door finally shut behind her, Nicholas' grin re-grew on his face and he turned back down to face the wide-eyed Selthris.

"I thought she'd _never_ leave." The General chuckled in his own brand of humour as he reached over to a small table on his right at the end of the room. Selthris' wide-eyed stare followed him and he began to shake, finally adding up what this situation was trying to tell him.

he tools on the table next to him began to clink and clank noisily from his left. Selthris' panic started to grow once more when he saw the General turn back around to face him, a kind of mad grin attached to his expression. The Lord's eyes snapped down to the instrument in his hands and they widened once more.

Very small pins, perhaps of acupressure were dotted around his hands.

Torture devices?

"Your face... contorted in _pain_...," Nicholas spoke out in an initial low frown, his eyes half-closed as he stared down at him, approaching. His shadow loomed over the sweating and wide-eyed silent form of Selthris before, finally, his low frown gradually upturned into a seemingly unstable grin. "Show it to me."

* * *

Sevrenna eyed the jogging and even running soldiers around the main camp suspiciously, eyebrow shot up in half-curiosity. As she opted to finally leave her tent that morning she couldn't help but find the Allied forces in a tizzy over something; what she could not say but it did nothing to ease her concern.

The Aselian Swordmaster kept her frown on her face as she turned her march forward, stepping around the many rushing soldiers. She eyed them as she passed them before finally reaching the usual briefing room. When she deigned to poke her head through the tent flap she couldn't help but wince very lightly when she found the group all huddled together as usual turning to face her, as if suspicious.

"Um... hello...," the Swordmaster managed to greet unsociably. When she received a few nods the youth acted on the small boost of confidence she gained from it by opting to enter. She stepped forward to join them, turning her eyes around the board-room and raised a curious eyebrow. "It's okay if I join today, right?"

"Yes, yes it's fine... um...," Astrid murmured from her map, sighing in what seemed like frustration and impatience. "I have more pressing matters than your punishment."

"I... noticed," Sevrenna responded with a frown as she briefly turned her eyes to watch the tent exit behind her, as if remembering the soldiers' panicked expressions. When she turned her eyes back to the usual group however they widened alongside her rising eyebrows. "W-Where's Selthris and his friend?"

"That's what we've just been discussing," Alaric explained briefly from his position in his seat ahead of her. He turned his head half-way to eye her in his similarly worried frown, his fingers joined together and placed on the table before him. "Lord Selthris and general Leo have both been reported as missing in action."

Sevrenna's eyes widened in shocked silence, unable to string together words to respond with.

"With a key member gone, maybe killed, what will become of the alliance?" Salnarra asked from the left side of the table, an arm outstretched to gesture her sentence.

"Nothing, that's what," Ariella answered her from her usual chair next to the Coremondian elder. "That boy was our force's commander; with him absent not only is our reason for fighting _gone_ but the men that follow him shaken."

"Shaken?" Norman murmured next to her, ever the faithful bodyguard.

"Selthris was the only remaining son left of Sathryon Vikeruce," Hawke's voice suddenly and deftly interrupted the group; they swivelled in their chairs to face her. She stood, masked as ever and faced them from her stoic folded armed position. "He commanded a lot of respect among the men here, especially in Aselia."

"So what _is_ our next course of action?" Theffania asked from the same side of the table, her eyes moving from all sides of the room.

"I vote...," Talia began from behind Astrid's side of the table, her usually meek voice surprising the rest of the group; they turned as ever to face her. The young blonde Thunder Mage turned her surprisingly hard-eyed stare to face them as she spoke. "I vote we leave them."

" _What?!_ " Sevrenna suddenly called out angrily as she advanced on the former Sohanthian, her comfortable scowl returning to her face. Fortunately for the wide-eyed and shocked Thunder Mage however, the grunting Gorlin walked into frame from the side, grasping the young Swordmaster by the sides of her arms. "Rgh!" The angry young woman began as she struggled in the Coremondian's grip. Talia watched her with a shocked, wide-eyed frown, gripping her Thunder tome close to her chest as always.

"It's not... worth it!" Gorlin managed out in his low grunt, his teeth similarly grit in effort.

"Would he have left _you?!_ " The ebony-haired young woman declared angrily over at the staring Thunder Mage. "You Sohanthians; you're all the same!"

"Enough!" Astrid suddenly interrupted with in a temporary raise of her voice, briefly half-turning her head to face the trio. "Maybe she's right...," the strategist finally murmured out in response as she re-turned her head back down the map she seemed to be transfixed on. The group, seemingly surprised, swivelled their wide-eyed faces 'round to listen. Astrid grasped the silvery piece on the board that had previously dulled out to a small light and stared sadly at it. "They never responded when I called out to them..."

"Surely that doesn't mean they're _dead?_ " Alaric attempted to reason with the younger resident of his country, raising an eyebrow as he did.

"Well... if they didn't _answer...,_ " Salnarra spoke up as she folded her arms and tilted her head lightly in her speech. "I think it's safe to assume they're at least missing."

"Ngh!" Gorlin grunted as he let go of the struggling Swordmaster in his grip before facing the group. "They _could_ just be kidnapped," the Nomad Trooper explained briefly in his frown. Numerous members turned to face him, as if surprised; Sevrenna herself stared up at him behind her with widened eyes. "Those kids are stronger than anything I've seen in _years._ "

"I agree with sir Gorlin," Alaric nodded as he pulled his arms back in his assenting nod to fold them. "I think that just giving up on them both would hurt both our morale and our endgame."

"It can't be easy to even consider that possibility though," Theffania put forward in a light wince. "Think how _Astrid_ feels."

The group soon fell silent; all eyes turned on the sad-eyed Advisor. She stared down at the two fallen chess pieces she was using earlier.

"It's... my fault," the strategist began again, this time in reply as she raised her right arm to grasp at the side of her face and head. Her eyes shut as she did this and she continued on. "I _knew_ something was off about that battle; I just couldn't pin-point it. And now because of me even Ulric has..."

"You did _all_ you could Astrid-sensei," Talia murmured as she paced forward to place a comforting hand on the youth's robed shoulder. A livid look from the listening Sevrenna caused her to flinch but she continued regardless. "So did sir Ulric, sir Leo and Lord Selthris; this isn't your fault."

"I'm in agreement with _that_ as well," Alaric nodded in a light grin of his own. "Do not blame yourself; we have only come as far as we have _because_ of your efforts."

"This is all well and _good_ but...," Salnarra began in an uncomfortable chuckle as she averted her eyes briefly before re-turning them to face the group once more. "We still haven't come to a decision."

Silence once more descended down upon the quiet group and they all exchanged glances before, finally, Astrid turned a new firm-eyed frown to face them.

"Let's put it to a vote," the Advisor began firmly as she wandered her eyes between each listening member of the remaining alliance. "All those in favour of leaving them behind and carrying on with the fight?"

Talia, as she had specified earlier, stuck her robed hand up. Unfortunately for her, however, she was the only member in the room that did so.

"And all those in favour of pooling our resources to go rescue them?"

Sevrenna barely waited for her to finish before shooting her own arm up, urgent and all. The rest of the room, as expected, all followed in a slower fashion. Astrid herself was the only person exempt from participating it seemed and, regaining a small smile on her face, she nodded in acknowledgement.

"W-What, but-?"

"The alliance has spoken," Astrid opted to softly interrupt with in her light smile. She gathered a couple of extra chess pieces and placed them at the drawing of a castle next to Odorion Plains. "We will organise a team to infiltrate and rescue both Leo Evans and Selthris Vikeruce."

–

 _ **2**_

Selthris gasped for what felt like the millionth time, pain filling his insides and outsides. Numerous small pins were stuck into the small bones of his feet, body and all over. Excessive sweat matted his spiky silvery hair to his head and face and he could not stop to catch a breath.

"Stronger 'n I thought," Nicholas grinned from his side, picking up another couple of pins. "Do you know _how_ your black lightning didn't affect me when we fought?"

Selthris' heavy-breathing wide-eyed stare soon snapped over to meet the grinning General's eyes and he continued on, as if urged.

"We _knew_ you were coming," the Sohanthian grinned down at him. Selthris merely continued to stare at him, as if still perplexed. "Your exploits in Naerith's 'Burning War' have certainly gained popularity down in Sohantha my little friend...," the General grinned on as he stuck another couple of pins in the young man's body. "Our doctors have managed to fashion a lovely little pill that combats your very abilities."

Selthris' eyes snapped back to stare at him, widened even further than before to emphasise his shock and surprise. Nicholas' listening chortle merely made him stiffen further.

"Yes, the empire is _always_ one step ahead of your second-rate homeland, oh son of Sathryon." The General smirked in his light laughter.

Seemingly finished with his small pins of torture, he clapped his hands together as if to rid himself of the dust and small bits of blood he had drew. He reached over to the table behind him and grinned as he pulled back a jar. Pulling it further into frame, he smiled down at it and exchanged his eyes with the heavy-breathing Selthris. The young pincushion of a Lord hovered his vision down to the contents of the jar before widening them, seemingly in shock and horror.

A rather large spider lay inside it.

"Do you like it?" Nicholas spoke over softly.

Selthris' hard breathing and wide-eyed stare indicated only one answer and the General, seemingly satisfied with this, opted to suddenly and violently shake the jar with both his hands. Seemingly stirred up from its slumber, the spider inside the jar began to move with its many legs and Selthris' panic began to rose alongside the crippling fear he was feeling.

"You're a tough one boy... you haven't even said a word to me...," the talkative General grinned as he lowered his fingers to the jar's closed lid. Selthris' own silvery eyes darted up to watch him silently, his breathing picking up a small notch. "But with _this...,_ " he began, his tiny grin slowly growing in tandem with the sound of the lid turning. "I believe you'll _change_ that."

With that he had already tossed the large spider down to the ground just close to the young man's open feet. Selthris' eyes widened and he began to struggle in his chair, unable to move. His toes instinctively curled up, as if to avoid the frightening creature; unfortunately for him however it seemed to sense his fast-growing fear and began to crawl toward him.

"No...," Selthris finally opened his dry mouth with, his eyes widened down at the large spider. It finally grabbed onto his left foot and started to climb. "N-No!"

Nicholas watched with an entranced and growing silent grin.

The spider began to approach his chest and, with remarkable muscles, managed to scale it expertly. Selthris' horrified stare never left him and his already heightened panic grew to untold levels when the small beast started to crawl over his face. Seemingly broken and unable to respond in any other way, Selthris' wide-eyed stare gave vent to a sudden and elongating laugh. The listening Nicholas' grin grew even wider as he watched hungrily and he began to laugh along in tandem with the mad youth.

"Kill me!" Selthris managed out as light tears began to sting at his widened eyes. His head lowered as the deadly creature crawled across his face and Nicholas' eyes also widened as he listened. "Just kill me...!" The Lord requested, his voice hitting an octave he had not managed before. The listening Nicholas finally burst into hysterics as he watched, turning his head skyward as if enjoying the show. He opened his mouth to speak and words seemed to come out but they were murky and unclear, as if blurry somehow. His vision blurred with it and, before he could finish laughing, another voice interrupted him.

" _Wake_ up _Selthris."_

* * *

 _The tear-stricken young man gasped and slowly raised his head up, feeling a hand softly graze his chin._

" _It's time... to wake up." The voice and hand owner's voice spoke up. Seemingly in the same area, he sat chained to his chair as before. His eyes, now widened in a different kind of shock, took in the full appearance of his new partner._

 _The wavy silver-haired former princess of Aselia stood over him, her left hand softly caressing his chin._

" _Sta... ciel...," Selthris could only stammer out in his tearful eyed, open-mouthed frown. "Is... is that really_ you? _"_

 _She seemed to ignore him and lightly pulled her arm back to fold her arms and stare down at him._

" _Why are you sitting here, Selthris?" The former Masked Man of Naerith demanded of him, frowning down at him. "You're the last one of our clan; you_ can't _die out yet."_

" _I wasn't_ strong _enough Staciel...," Selthris attempted to reason with his older sister. She merely frowned silently back down at him, as if to allow him to continue. "And now I'm only paying what I owe-"_

" _Just_ you _is it?" The former Field Marshal shot back in reply as she began to pace around the white and black tiled room. He felt her walk past his back and listened. "What about your only friend? What about Leo?"_

 _The young Lord's eyes widened once more when he thought of the Mercenary he kept so close to him. He suddenly remembered the last time he seen him and his panic re-grew. As if sensing his very thoughts, the young woman behind him approached his right side, having seemingly finished a circle. She turned her eyes down to his position as she stopped at his side however, narrowing them._

" _I know you hated our father, just like I did...," the older Vikeruce heir began in her reply. "But I think it's time you faced this truth."_

"What _truth...?" Selthris hissed back as he shut his eyes and lowered his head in his bound position. Staciel's eyes narrowed back down at him as she re-opened her mouth to respond._

" _That you're just like_ he _used to be and just like your torturer," she claimed; her words lit up a surprised spark in his eyes and he snapped them to reach her. She didn't even turn her head to face him as she eyed him back. "You're a murderer."_

" _A mur- no I'm- I didn't-"_

" _Selthris...," Staciel began once more as she re-closed her eyes briefly to continue. "Do you remember our mother?"_

 _Her abrupt question surprised him entirely._

 _The young Lord turned his shocked blink up at her but merely nodded urgently, allowing her to press on with her point._

" _What do you remember of her?"_

 _Again, he was surprised but this time he was somewhat prepared._

" _S-She was...," he began as re-lowered his eyes and they became glassy as he reached into the depths of his memories. "A good person...," the young Lord smiled as he thought of her similarly warm complexion. "She was the only one in the family that loved me, I think."_

" _Is that so...?" Staciel murmured as she turned her eyes briefly away from him, her arms still folded._

" _She did_ so _much in our father's absence that I was worried about her...," the young man began again, this time as a newly sad frown began to envelop his expression. "One day, she..."_

 _Staciel remained quiet as she listened, eager to hear his next words._

" _She left and... she never came back to us," he managed out as a single new tear began to sting at his left eye. "I don't know if she was kidnapped, murdered or reported missing but..."_

" _Is_ that _what you think happened?"_

 _His silent shock spoke volumes; he turned in his chair to frown back up at her._

" _W-What do you-?"_

 _As if to answer his question, the frowning Staciel extended one of her folded arms forward, palm outstretched. Seemingly by magic, the blank space ahead of him opened up from the inky blackness of its origins into a strange scene indeed; Selthris' silvery eyes narrowed as he watched the shadows give form._

 _A smiling brown haired woman sat next to a young boy with spiky silver hair of his own. They were hunched over a small desk and seemingly enraptured in writing work together. Selthris' eyes widened when he saw their faces and immediately recognised them._

 _The boy was him._

 _So then-?_

" _Mother..." Selthris merely murmured out longingly as he stared forward at the scene sadly._

 _Staciel remained silent as she also watched before, finally, bringing her open palm back. As if reacting to her control, the scene changed once more and to a contrasting one completely. This time the figures in the memory scene were given voices, even as murky as they were Selthris could still hear them. The woman lay knelt down, staring similarly downward at a curled up form of the young boy from earlier._

 _Her arm was raised up high into the air as if to indicate her intention to harm the young boy._

 _Selthris' eyes widened when he caught this before he immediately shut his eyes, as if to protect his vision from watching the scene. Unfortunately however, it did little to shut the noise of their voices out. His eyes scrunched horridly shut as he listened to the woman grunt angrily and the loud smacks and slaps echoed along with her. The boy's crying and frightened voice soon invaded his ears and his mind, forcing him to confront it._

"Mother, please, no... don't..."

"I'm sorry...!"

"I didn't mean it; I swear to you!"

"I love you; please don't!"

" _N-No!" Selthris managed out as he began to struggle in his bound chair once more, alas all in vain. "That... that never happened- I-"_

 _He kept his eyes shut but it did little once more to protect his ears from the next scene. While he did not watch it, he could hear his mother's voice giggling and his quiet but audible whining cries of anguish._

"Don't... not there, mother... please..."

" _Stop showing this to me!" Selthris suddenly called out in his shut-eyed scowl, tears dripping down his scrunched shut eyes._

"M-Mother please, no; I love you..."

" _STACIEL!"_

 _Seemingly not listening to his loud cries of urgency, the young woman next him frowned firmly as she changed the next scene once more. As if to finally draw him to confront her showing, Selthris found his silvery eyes forced open in spite of his own wishes. This time he found himself watching, seemingly through the eyes of his mother; his vision was blurred and he looked down to find himself wounded and very badly at that. Blood covered the area he lay in and he found a sole figure standing above her, looming their shadow threateningly over the chestnut haired woman. Selthris' own eyes widened when he finally realised what this was taken from._

" _N-No, Staciel!"_

 _Ignoring his desperate please once more, the figure finally stepped into the light and glared down at her; the young boy from before, seemingly covered in her blood. He carried a knife tightly and held back the way in his right hand, coated in her flesh and blood. The spiky-haired boy glared down at her in a hateful scowl, breathing heavily as he did so. Selthris could only remain wordless as he took the scene in with both of his eyes, unable to find a suitable response to it._

" _Don't you_ see? _" Staciel whispered out as she dropped her left arm from its mid-air position, turning her firm-eyed frown on him. "There is_ no-one _else responsible for what happened to you," the former princess claimed as she re-folded her arms. "Our mother took advantage of you... and you_ killed _her for it."_

 _Still seemingly unable to string words together to respond to her he could only stare ahead at the livid scowl on the boy's face._

" _Just like I killed our father...," the former Masked Man gave claim to as she re-narrowed her eyes forward. "To live, Selthris, is to_ consume _others; you have never been a good person, no one truly is."_

 _Selthris, again, remained silent._

" _And even if there were...," she began to reason with as she re-narrowed her eyes forward in her speech. "Those of us in our clan... are never afforded that luxury."_

 _In his heart of hearts, as he listened, Selthris couldn't help but silently agree with his older sister; her words had been proven time and time again._

 _First his father, then Staciel, then himself and, now with his new knowledge, even his mother._

 _Even the early beginnings of the clan were naught but insects; the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide's words rung clearly in his ears._

"The path you walk on has _no_ end..."

"Every inch of ground that you step on shall be claimed with the corpses of those closest to you."

"You shall have _no_ peace..."

 _He couldn't see it back then; he was far too focused on killing his father's murderer. He didn't_ want _to see it._

 _The Vikeruce clan were doomed from the very beginning._

" _There is only one thing remaining that you can do."_

 _Staciel's sudden interruption caused his eyes to widen and, finally, he opted to turn them to face her. She finally paced around the chair and loomed over him, arms folded._

"Embrace _it," the former Field Marshal growled through grit teeth as she scowled on down at his bug-eyed, entranced frown. "Just as I did; just as father did," she attempted to reason with before re-narrowing her eyes and glowering passionately. "Just as our ancestors once did."_

 _There was only_ one _thing remaining left to me, he thought to himself; only one thing that stopped him from giving in completely. As if sensing his silent thoughts, the wavy-haired swords-woman gave a loud tut and turned her disgusted frown down at him._

" _Leo cannot save you_ now _little brother," she warned him. Still he watched her silently, opting not to respond vocally. "In fact... you may find your faith... soon will be shaken..."_

–

 _ **3**_

"... shaken!"

Selthris' bloodshot silvery eyes shot wide open in silent shock once more; they darted around in mild disorientation. Soon however he realised he was still in his captor's interrogation room; his body still stuck fast to the chair he was bound in. The wide grin on general Nicholas' face widened as he sauntered into the room, seemingly having been gone earlier.

Selthris nearly double-took when he saw the chained up forms he shambled into the room after him, pulling on their bonds.

The grunting and seemingly powerless Leo was pushed into the room via a single Sohanthian soldier. Covered in cuts, bruises and bloody-faced and all, he could barely raised up his eyes to lock eyes with his close companion.

"L-Leo...!" Selthris could only gasp out in a mix of light relief and shock, his voice barely audible for the dryness of his throat. As the grinning Nicholas yanked at the chains, pulling the grunting Mercenary in by his knees Selthris' eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the soldier intruding in after him, uncomfortably pulling on a chain of his own.

… Who...?

The Sohanthian soldier pulled in the form of a crying young blonde girl, seemingly also a Sohanthian. Her rough clothing and battered small form indicated her life as a poor orphan of some sort. Though she pulled back at the chain perhaps in an effort to deny her captors it was all in abject vain.

"Didn't you hear me, boy...?" Nicholas called over, still in his seemingly happy grin. Selthris' tired and bloodshot eyes darted over to watch him in response. "You look like you're completely shaken..."

"W-What are you...?" Selthris attempted out in his dry heaving cough. "Doing...?"

"I'm glad you asked," Nicholas shot back in his wide grin before suddenly grunting and pulling on the chain behind him very roughly. Leo, directly behind him, was forced forward in a sudden pained bound. The young Mercenary could only grunt as he fell to the black and white tiled ground beneath him ungracefully. He managed to pull himself back up, the chains clinking lightly though not without some effort on his part. When he managed to exchange his fatigue-eyed stare with his companion's Selthris could only stare back.

"Sel..." The Mercenary managed to murmur out in quiet, pained greeting.

As if to respond to the youth's ragged word, the tiny blonde girl was pushed down on the floor next to him. Leo gasped similarly as he turned briefly to face her, his eyes narrowing. Selthris' own eyes darted between them silently, unable to make sense of the situation. As if sensing his fast-growing unease, the hard-eyed Sohanthian General strode in behind and between the pair, kneeling down to their level. His grin seemed to widen by a few notches, if that were even possible, as he hovered his big and burly arms to rest across at the pair around him.

"W-What are you-?"

"The young man in your unit...," Nicholas began in his grin, briefly eyeing the wincing Mercenary on his left. "Or a blameless little urchin of Sohantha." The General explained similarly promptly as he re-turned his eyes to his other side; the tiny young girl growled back at him hatefully. Selthris' silvery eyes shot wide open once more but this time in hopeless horror.

Oh no, he thought.

" _Choose!_ " The large Sohanthian turned his psychotic-eyed, open-mouthed smirk on the shock-faced Selthris.

"Y-You can't-!" Selthris managed to stammer out, panic quickly grasping his nerves once more as his saliva began to dribble down his chin. Nicholas, opting not to reply in the traditional sense, merely shot his head to the ceiling and burst out with demented laughter. Selthris' eyes twitched as he watched the Sohanthian in rapid terror, unable to string together any more words to respond with.

"Sel..."

The young Vikeruce heir snapped his eyes back down to his best friend and, once before, only companion. A contrast to his earlier pained look, his tired-eyed soft smile seemed to tell a different story. Selthris merely stared down at his kneeling form, awaiting his next words.

"It's okay...," the Mercenary managed to soothe out with his voice in his smile. "You can choose me..."

"B-But I-" Selthris gasped out, his eyes twitching as he listened to the worrying cries of the young Sohanthian girl next to him. As if finally growing impatient with his captive's indecisiveness, Nicholas stepped back up and advanced toward him. Soon he loomed his large body menacingly over the twitchy-eyed Vikeruce, his grin soon gone.

"I said...," he spoke down to him quietly, his voice a mere whisper. His eyes were also widened but in a tremendously different fashion to his poor victim. " _Choose._ "

Selthris could barely stare back at his torturer let alone open his mouth to respond, seemingly completely unprepared for the situation. Nicholas' cruel and firm frown never left him; not even when he finally swivelled it around to face the small group behind him. He gave the frowning and nameless soldier standing at the ready a single look and a single look was all he required. The loyal Sohanthian stepped forward, gripping his iron lance. Selthris' eyes shot wide-open once more when he saw him target the young Sohanthian girl.

The young Vikeruce king was extremely ashamed to realise he was relieved at his interrogator's choice.

The young girl cried out and attempted to leap up to run but her chains stopped her; the similarly bound Leo grunted as he also attempted to raise himself but with a different intention. Seemingly attempting to stop the man he yelped out in pain when he felt the hard-eyed General yank on his bonds, the chains clinking noisily.

Blood flew into the air when the soldier pierced her lower stomach with the iron lance he wielded. She could only gasp in wide-eyed horror and pain before, slowly sinking down into the weapon. The group watched, entranced, before he finally yanked the weapon out of her body, sending her involuntarily dropping to the ground in a bloody, deceased heap. Selthris' lower jaw began to lightly twitch in tandem with his widened eyes and he could barely string words together to form his horror and shock.

"Bastards...," Leo managed to growl out raggedly as he turned his sweaty-eyed scowl up at the soldier wielding the lance. "You're all _animals..._ "

"Are you so sure of that...?" Nicholas murmured over at the brown-haired youth, causing him to gasp in wide-eyed shock. As before, the soldier turned his iron lance down on the defenceless Mercenary, ready to stab his weapon downward. Selthris' eyes widened once more and tears began to stricken his complexion once more.

" _NO!_ "

 _SQUELCH_

Time slowed down for the group in the room; Selthris' horrified stare stayed consistent as he could only watch in complete consternation. He watched the back of his companion sink forward down into the iron lance painfully, as his earlier partner had, before soon coughing out a large intake of blood on the wood of the spear.

"L-Leo-"

Before Selthris could even finish his sentence however the soldier cruelly ripped his tool out from the young man's body, sending him grunting back down to the ground in a similar bloody heap. Nicholas' laugh was drowned out in the background as Selthris could only stare down at his fallen companion, shock and terror gripping at his system.

" _Don't you see_ yet?"

Staciel's morbid voice filled his mind once more as he stared forward at the bloody scene before him, his eyes becoming glassy.

" _Father was correct... but only of_ one _thing."_

Selthris' eyes remained widened as he listened to her.

" _There is no such thing as luck on the battlefield."_

He could almost imagine the man's stony face attached to the very words that she spoke.

" _This is no-one's fault but your own... if you had more power... then this would not have happened."_

You're right.

" _You_ have _that power, Selthris."_

I do?

" _Kill the rest of me... and take it."_

Her voice resounded throughout his ears and, as he shed his last tear, he lowered his head and shut his eyes with it. The laughing Nicholas finally adopted to stop his amusement short and paced forward to grin on down at the bruised and battered youth.

"How entertaining," the Sohanthian general grinned on as he rubbed the low end of his small goatee in a show of his old habit. "It would appear that your foolish comrades of the Allied forces are scurrying about upstairs," the General smirked as he noticed the boy's ears perk up. "I'm surprised they have even remembered you in all honesty...," he chuckled knowingly. When he received no reply however he merely continued. "It is such a shame to pull me away from my fun... but a man's duty's must be seen to."

Selthris merely remained wordless and silent, his head and his posture low; a firm frown upon his shut-eyed expression. Nicholas raised a curious eyebrow up at him before regaining his earlier grin as he reached forward, presumably to finish the youth. Before he could touch his ragged tunic's front however, a strange and unnatural kind of lightning sparked between the two, keeping him back. Nicholas gasped as he pulled his arm back, wincing from the sudden shock, narrowing his eyes forward curiously.

 _CLICK_

The chains' unlocking behind him with a sudden noise caused the Sohanthian interrogator to blink in surprise.

"What the-?"

His words were soon interrupted once more when the chair his captive sat on was suddenly erupted into flame with the similarly abrupt burst of lightning that joined it. Tiles flew up into the air to match the sudden explosion of Aegir and the watching Nicholas had to temporarily raise his arms up to block the unnatural wind from hitting his eyes. When the dust finally settled, the frowning Selthris stood in the epicentre of the small scene of destruction, his body slightly leant to the side.

Angered by the display, Nicholas growled as he suddenly advanced on the young king before grasping his shirt in spite of the lightning coursing around his body. When he did however the youth's eyes snapped open and glared back at him. Bloodshot and tearful eyes of inky blackness stared back at him, seemingly furious in their own right. Taken aback for a second, Nicholas' grip on the young man's tattered tunic lessened; his one mistake.

Selthris' eyes widened and, like magic, the wide-eyed General could only manage a single pained grunt as he was suddenly sent soaring through the air. With a loud and similarly painful crash, the soldier behind him gasped as he watched his commander land before slowly and deliberately turning back to face the scowling youth in front of him.

Though he stood in his earlier leant position on his own, a second over-looming shadow seemed to tower over him, as if controlling him somehow. The soldier found the shadow's eyes deep-purple and rippled; he widened his own eyes in recognition, having seen the same eyes in the storybooks of Sohantha. The eyes of the fabled one.

The Sorcerer of the Divine Divide.

Turning on his heel in his worried gasp, the nameless soldier could barely avoid tripping over himself as he ran for the closed door. Slamming it behind him, the sound echoed loudly within the chamber. Selthris stepped forward, his body enveloped in immense Aegir; with a single scowl he raised up his pulsating left arm and flexed its hand's fingers. Gradually raising it further up to cover his burning and black left eye he affixed his firm-eyed gaze forward through his fingers.

" _I am..._ ," he thought to himself as his eyes narrowed hatefully. _"A Vikeruce."_

* * *

"Slow _down_ Sevrenna!" George called ahead for what felt like the umpteenth time in succession, eyes narrowed forward through the light drizzle of rain.

He rode his own horse after hers and as she listened, the young Swordmaster finally opted to do as he asked. The young Cavalier finally managed to catch up with the frowning young woman and frowned next to her when they slowed to a mere jog.

"I _know_ you're passionate about doing this but if we rush in then _we'll_ lose our lives too!" George attempted to reason with in a narrow-eyed hiss as he spoke. The Swordmaster turned her eyes away from his as she listened, as if unwilling to hear it.

"He's fine," Kay's voice called from the pair's left sides; also riding her horse. "They _both_ are."

George frowned over at his older sister briefly, concerned for her well-being.

"What if they're _not?_ "

The pair of Cavaliers, surprised, turned their eyes on the shut-eyed Sevrenna.

"What if they're _just_ as dead as-"

"They're _not_ dead!" Kay suddenly and hotly interrupted the usually forceful Swordmaster; Sevrenna gasped as she turned on her horse to face the firm-frowning expression on the dirty-blonde Cavalier's face, shocked. They seemed to stare at one another for a good few seconds before, finally, Sevrenna opted to smile weakly back in response, nodding before returning her attention to the front.

"We have to make sure that sir Gorlin and lady Hawke are not kept too busy for too long!" George called out in an attempt to raise the trio's morale, eyes narrowing past the drizzle drops of rain lashing his face. "If we can infiltrate the back of their forces then-"

 _DROOM_

As if to go with the sound of the sudden tremor to the ground, a hard rumble of thunder boomed in the background of the night sky. The three found their paths blocked by the sudden earthquake and their horses all reared back with similar concerned neighs of shock. A shadow illuminated by the sudden crackling of the thunder made apparent to be the figure between them and their goal; the wide-grinning form of the amber armoured Half-Moon.

Sevrenna's eyes widened in recognition before anger and hatred soon gripped at her. Seemingly having been given a heaping portion of his favourite meal, Half-Moon stared back at the group of three, his Quintessence billowing out like a cloak from his body, as if a visible torch in the dark area. Another single figure stood behind him, the visibly grinning and folded-armed Halberdier Apheia.

"Sevrenna... _no...,_ " George murmured out lowly next to the glaring young woman. The listening Swordmaster merely grinded on her teeth angrily as she watched the contrastingly smirking Half-Moon. "We _will_ hold our ranks." The Cavalier warned her with a hard-eyed frown. Though she scowled at the object of her hatred she merely nodded in response.

"Not _you_ three again," Kay greeted over as she curled her lip up at the grinning pair and their plus-one; the ever firm-frowning Alder standing next to his general and superior. "Haven't you gotten in our way _enough_ times?"

"Your little friend would beg to differ," Apheia spoke over in her leant-eyed smirk; the rain soon began to pick up, lashing down upon her long pony-tailed blonde hair. "He's been eager to see you again." The Halberdier claimed ominously, grinning over at the scowling Sevrenna.

The Aselian Swordmaster opted not to respond to her vocally and merely drew her steel sword out from the sheath on her hip, twirling it around as she soon dismounted her mount. As if reacting to her movement, Kay and George unsheathed their own weapons as they stood next to her on both sides, watching their opponents.

"This could be _very_ bad," George urged the pair of women next to him as he narrowed his eyes forward. "One enemy each but even still; I do not like these odds."

"I'll take Half-Moon," Sevrenna opted to finally speak up in her low scowl, glaring hatefully at the open-mouthed grinning serial killer. "I still owe him."

"Not by _yourself_ you're not," Kay objected angrily as she stepped lightly next to the young woman, gripping her steel lance with both hands. "You could barely match him _last_ time; what makes you think you'll be able to-"

"We may not have a choice in the matter Kay," George advised very quietly in his hard and desperate-eyed frown forward. "We have no more troops to spare."

"Tch!" His older sibling managed out in a furrowed-brow frown, disappointed and concerned. "So we're stuck then..."

As if listening to them from her side of the battlefield, the amused Apheia smirked as she brought a steel great-lance up, seemingly to fight with; a shield gripped on her left side. The hard-frowning Alder brought his own steel lance up in tandem with his commander, turning his firm-eyed glare on the Aselians.

"Are you ready _now?_ " Apheia called over, ominously quietly as she grinned; she soon lost it in favour of a malicious scowl. "Pathetic _Aselians._ "

–

 _ **4**_

General Nicholas coughed out in sudden surprise and shocking pain as he pulled himself from the wreckage he was earlier forced into. The older man gasped as he stepped out from the rubble, darting his eyes in searching for his former captive, his anger risen to a boiling point to match his earlier bewilderment. Finally however he found the youth and in the most obvious place to look; his anger grew even further when he realised this and he thrust an accusing finger over at the lightning-encased Lord Knight.

"How _dare_ you!" The seemingly simple-minded Sohanthian superior shot over with a hateful hissing howl. "Try to fool _me_ will you?!" He accused angrily; unfortunately for him however, the firm-frowning Selthris merely stared back at him wordlessly. Perhaps growing increasingly in unease, the frowning General soon upturned his scowl into a disgusted glower. "What's wrong, _dog?!_ What happened to all that whimpering earlier?!"

As if to finally respond to him however the young swordsman without a sabre gave off one last crackle of lightning before soon disappearing with it; the watching Nicholas' eyes widened as he darted his eyes in search for him. He gasped as he shifted his body to his right, barely avoiding the leaping Selthris in mid-air. Nicholas' eyes widened as he watched the firm scowling-faced Selthris smash his bolting fist through the wall where he once stood by. Boulders of concrete similarly burst apart, scattering across the air.

He's faster now, Nicholas thought to himself as he slowly landed in a scowling skid. Bereft of his own weapon however, the Sohanthian General grunted as he found the super-fast Selthris sailing straight for him.

 _BZZT_

Nicholas grunted as he shot his right arm skyward to parry the incoming overhead strike; Nicholas gasped when he felt him crash into his defence, eyes widening at the sudden rocket in strength. As time maddeningly drew on, the poor Sohanthian found himself slowly being overpowered, even his very body itself being veered back the way he had evaded in earlier. Nicholas opened his mouth to shout angrily at his opponent, attempting to demand him to speak.

Unfortunately for him however, he found his burly right arm dropping; falling completely unresponsive.

" _WHAT?!_ " The wide-eyed General yelled out, the nerves in his right arm falling suspiciously silent. It dropped down to his right side and he could only stare down at it in disbelief before darting his bewildered eyes back up to his scowling opponent, taken off guard once more.

 _CRACK_

With a single crackling smash, Selthris didn't even utter a single grunt when he smashed his lightning-encased fist into the gasping General's face; the fearsome thunder coating his body caused a brutal burn mark across his right cheek.

 _CRASH_

Selthris recovered from his earlier attack, leaning forward as he pulled his right fist back, glaring on after his missing enemy. A few uneventful seconds passed as Selthris stared straight ahead of his current leaning position. His eyes narrowed provokingly at the sudden explosion of power and Aegir from his similarly bare-handed opponent; as before, boulders and parts of the floor flew up around the roaring General's body. A similar cloak of Quintessence billowed around him as an aura would, intimidating indeed.

Finally the dust settled once more and the blaring brute of Sohantha was displayed in all of his angry glory. With barely a discernible word uttered from his mouth, the large man took off in pursuit. Selthris never moved a muscle in his resolute hateful stare of his enemy until a second after the larger male shot his earth-infused fist down on him; the only arm left that seemingly responded on his body. The young Lord Knight merely swerved his head to the right to avoid the man's primal swing, glaring back.

His anger seemingly growing at his Aselian enemy, Nicholas let out another livid wail as he pressed forward once more but this time for an optimised but wild horizontal hay-maker with the same arm, his other still limp. Pulling his silvery-haired head back however, Selthris' scowl remained constant on his face as he once again evaded the wide-eyed General's attack. This time however the young Lord Knight reached forward not with his full arm but with a single outstretched left index finger. General Nicholas' eyes widened once more and his scowl was briefly lost to him as he regarded his opponent's actions with oblivious carelessness.

 _BZZT_

The wide-eyed Sohanthian suddenly gasped when he felt his whiffed left arm blend with the lightning on Selthris' own left arm. Just as before the poor General found his left arm immediately dropping to his other side, falling just as silent as his last.

"H-How?!" Nicholas gasped out as his widened eyes twitched from the growing horror as he regarded his two fallen arms. "I-I t-took those pills and-"

Opting not to respond vocally, Selthris suddenly pressed forward; body bent back low for seemingly speed increasing. His brow furrowed and he glared on up at the gasping General above him before spinning once as he approached, smacking his lightning-encased left back-fist against the grunting older man. Nicholas' eyes shut briefly from the blinding pain as he was sent stumbling back the way he came; he could barely open his eyes in time fast enough to find his younger opponent spinning in a direct forward assault.

Selthris' scowl never left him as he sent his sinking elbow into older man's clothed chest . Nicholas could only widen his eyes in a terror-filled gasp as he regarded his opponent behind him; his defence finally cracked. Selthris' silvery and black lightning crackled to a heightened snap as the Aegir around his elbow grew in tandem with it. Eventually however, the young man's built up of Quintessence finally exploded in a hard-eyed detonation. Pain suddenly and blazingly filled every ounce of the wide-eyed and speechless Sohanthian General as he was soon sent off his feet from the ferocity of the attack. Time soon regained its normal flow and general Nicholas was sent careering into the wall behind him once more.

 _CRASH_

As the rest of the already dilapidated wall of the inner dungeon dropped on the now missing form of his enemy, Selthris relaxed his position as he leant his hatred-filled gaze after the General. When the smoke finally cleared and the fallen body of the unmoving Nicholas was revealed Selthris' brow furrowed just a little more as he stared over at him. Seemingly satisfied with his bloody and open-mouthed sprawl, the newly strengthened Lord Knight about-turned on his heel and marched forward for the closed door to the exit.

His ears perked up to the sounds of battle far above him.

Didn't Nicholas say something about intruders?

His curiosity piqued, Selthris continued his march before opening the door with a single creak. Opting to hesitate only very briefly to turn and stare sadly down at the fallen body of his only companion, Leo, he finally walked through and slammed shut the door behind him.

* * *

" _DEVOUR!_ "

Sevrenna yelped in pain as she was sent sprawling across the lashing ground, dirt and mud kicking up into her indigo shaded robes. Her long ebony hair matted itself to her face as she could only cough out blood from her earlier engagement with the laughing Half-Moon looming over her.

" _Is... is this it...?"_ The Swordmaster could barely think to herself as she attempted to raise herself up, her left arm becoming limp from the ongoing fight. Blood dripped down it and many wounds across her body. She scrunched her eyes shut as she listened to the sounds of the desperate Kay and George fighting with Sohantha's general Apheia and her aide Alder. _"Am I to_ die _here after_ all _this preparation...?"_ She could barely manage out as she took ragged breaths in pain, her lungs on fire. The grinning Half-Moon chuckled maliciously to match the sudden burst of thunder that lit up his already Aegir aura covered face.

With a surprising burst of her _own_ Aegir however, the grunting Swordmaster shot to her side in an impressive feat of speed, disappearing from common view. Easily following his opponent however, Half-Moon laughed anticlimactically as he shot his wide-grinning face to his left, palms outstretched to his two sides. Sevrenna zipped to his earlier side in a clear attempt to hit at him with her steel sword, grunting vainly as it bounced off the intense Quintessence cloak he seemed to wear so well. The Sohanthian serial killer let loose an abrupt roar at her and she widened her eyes as she was sent careering back through the air, rolling and all.

 _SMASH_

Before she even hit the mountain wall behind her she found the mad-faced Half-Moon suddenly reappeared just shy of her front, his left open palm forced through her lower stomach. Pinned to the wall, the Swordmaster could barely cough once more, draining her of of any leftover strength she may have possessed. Time seemed to slow down to a gradual stop as she stared ahead of her. Tears began to sting at her eyes as she thought of the years she spent trying to pursue her enemy and the efforts involved to do so.

She thought of her murdered family among the many others he had taken on as his many 'meals'.

The thought of her smiling older brother was the last thing that went through her mind.

"D-Don't-" Sevrenna managed out in a sudden higher octane voice than she usually spoke, her voice breaking as she cried. "Don't ever l-leave me al-alone..."

 _BZZT_

Like an animal, Half-Moon yelped from the sudden contact of strange electricity in the air. His eyes darted around for the cause but, unable to find one, he was soon forced away from his victim, skidding across the muddy plains. He narrowed one of his eyes suspiciously forward as he suddenly witnessed an incredibly fast shadow dart in and out of the area he was previously in. Like magic, the near corpse form of Sevrenna had vanished with the shadow and Half-Moon could only blink in shock.

Suddenly surprising him once more however, the shadow re-appeared safely to his left side a few yards away, skidding across the ground. A young man stood covered in an aggressively high Aegir aura of his own, a veritable torchlight. He was dressed in mere silvery and ebony rags as if to contrast with his frightening appearance; the scowl on his face matched it however, alongside the matted and greyed silvery-spiky hair.

The cause of the interruption forced the similarly wide-eyed Kay, George, Alder and Apheia to stop their fighting and turn their heads to overlook. Also shocked, they could barely believe the form before them.

Selthris Vikeruce stood holding the silent, wide-eyed Sevrenna in his arms.

"I _won't._ " He merely uttered out in his low scowl, as if in response to the tearful-faced Sevrenna's words.


	11. Quick as Lightning, Strong as Thunder

**Chapter 10: Quick as Lightning, Strong as Thunder; No More Dreaming**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _**"Another Side – Battle Ver." - Kingdom Hearts 1.5 OST.** Scene **1** (Second Half)._

 _ **"**_ **Musique pour la Tristesse de Xion" - Kingdom Hearts 1.5 OST.** Scene **2.**

* * *

 _While disaster has struck the Allied forces with the kidnapping of two of their closest members, Astrid of the Intelligence Squad manages to hatch up a plan to rescue the powerless pair of Aselia. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to them however, the poor young Leo is used in the torture games that general Nicholas employs; having his close friend Selthris opt to choose between his life and the life of a child, he finally kills both of them, his captive having been unable to come to a decision._

 _This action manages to force Selthris to confront himself and his past however; with a little assistance from a deceased apparition of his sister, the timid boy becomes a man and manages to access a new plateau of Aegir and power left for him. In commanding this new strength, Selthris easily executes his captor and general Nicholas is no more._

 _Meanwhile the pursuing Kay, George and Sevrenna are sent off to chase the missing Leo and Selthris, Gorlin and Hawke fighting off the bulk of any enemy resistance to protect their attempt. Though finally given a chance to enact her long-awaited revenge for her family's murderer, Half-Moon of Sohantha, she is unfortunately still unable to match his incredible feats of strength. Sevrenna, bereft of any strength left, is saved in the very last second by one she thought impossible..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

"S-Selthris?" Sevrenna gasped out as she lay in the young man's tightened grip. Her vision became hazy, teetering on the edge of consciousness. His scowl grew worse as he stared directly at the single-eye-narrowed Half-Moon but when he heard her speak, he dropped his scowl in favour of a simple blinking frown, lowering his now blazing blackened eyes to face hers.

"Sevrenna...," he began before briefly sweeping his vision across the field of halted battle, frowning as he did so. "You all... came for us..."

"S-Selthris, where is-?"

"I'm sorry," the Lord Knight apologised down at her in a new, grave frown. "This is all _my_ fault."

"W-Wha-? No, it's-"

" _CONSUME!"_

Selthris' blazing black eyes shot up to glare back at the fast chasing form of Half-Moon; with lightning speed the youth easily zipped across the raining field in evasion, skidding across the ground. Mud and rain kicked up behind his crackling form, his aura of Aegir burning with his seemingly new mood. The retreating forms of the wide-eyed Aselian Cavaliers jogged over to join the two in similar states of shock.

"Sel, you're _alive!_ " Kay exclaimed out as she ran over, gripping her steel lance tightly. Even George could not help but crack a small smile as he approached however, when he caught the firm and low scowl attached to his young king's face he couldn't help but frown back, his brow furrowing. "I _knew_ it!" The overambitious of the pair of siblings exclaimed out further as she grinned over at him. Selthris briefly turned his low-eyed glance toward them before turning his scowl into a wan smile.

"Kay, George," the Lord Knight greeted lightly as he reached over and extended the now unconscious form of Sevrenna in his arms. "Please, take her," he requested simply. George nodded dutifully and handed his steel lance to his elder sister before reaching forward to take the bloody and shut-eyed Sevrenna in his own arms. The young Aselian king merely gave the pair a light and sad kind of smile as he spoke his next words. "Leave everything else to me."

Kay's excited grin soon left her, finally gauging the atmosphere as her younger brother did. She blinked over at her superior wordlessly, watching him turn his body to face his new enemy. A dozen kind of questions entered and left her mind as quickly as they waltzed in, leaving her merely speechless to face the strange new change in her surviving commander.

"Lord Selthris...," George finally spoke up, catching the near gasping Kay off guard with his abrupt interruption. The suspicious Cavalier narrowed his eyes forward at the youth ahead of him. "Where is sir Leo?"

An awkward silence suddenly plummeted down upon the Aselian four; George's eyes re-narrowed as he watched him merely avoid the question. Kay's eyes slowly widened when she realised her brother's intention in asking his query.

"B-But...," Kay murmured out as her eyes turned glassy, similarly sad in fitting with the atmosphere. "He _can't_ be... not him _too..._ "

"I didn't think it possible but here you are..."

The group turned their eyes up to their right to find the wide-eyed and frowning Apheia approaching them. She spun her steel great-lance before sticking it into the ground next to her, eyes narrowing forward in a growing small grin.

"You're stronger than you look... son of Sathryon." The Halberdier called over quietly and ominously; her hard-frowning aide soon joined her, grunting as he also twirled his steel lance from his earlier engagement. Selthris looked up at the blonde Sohanthian, glaring wordlessly at her.

"Sel... you couldn't beat this guy before; _don't_ fight him alone!" Kay advised from the back, leaning in with a narrow-eyed hiss. Selthris remained motionless as he seemingly listened, his Aegir aura giving off an audible but dull hum alongside the light crackling of unnatural electricity that surrounded him.

"What I told you both...," Selthris finally re-opened his mouth to talk, briefly turning his head around to frown back at the pair of Cavaliers. "It was an _order,_ " he clarified in a much firmer and harder tone of voice this time. Though Kay drew her face back with a light wince the frowning George merely watched his superior swivel back his head to glare hatefully at the trio before him. "Leave _everything..._ to me." The Lord Knight confidently claimed, leaning his body to the side as he glared on back at the growling Half-Moon.

A second awkward silence descended down upon the watching group; Kay and George witnessed the pair stand off, the only noise between them the solid lashing of the rain above them and the crackling of Selthris' Aegir cloak.

"Strong...," Half-Moon growled out as he widened his eyes at the appearance of his new enemy. "Soul...!" He hissed in his grit-toothed scowl, licking at his lips as if to savour the meal to come.

"What will you do _now,_ oh son of Sathryon?" Apheia shot over as she sheathed her weapon to fold her arms as she usually did. "Perform another miracle and destroy the greatest serial killer that Sohantha has ever known?" She asked in her superior smirk, almost as if rhetorically.

"No."

His response managed to take her aback; she widened her blinking eyes.

"... What...?"

"I will _not_ kill him." Selthris merely growled back out from across the battlefield. Another strange kind of silence descended upon the listening group before Apheia and Alder suddenly both burst into hysterics.

"Have you learned _nothing?!_ " The Halberdier guffawed over at him in thinly veiled derision. Selthris' expression remained consistent however. "This lax attitude will only-"

"For it is not my place to _do_ so."

His abrupt interruption caused her to lose her grin in place of a quizzical frown, furrowing her brow over at him, urging him to continue.

"I don't know the story she has...," Selthris spoke over as he shook his head at the growling Half-Moon. "But I _know_ her heart is set on vengeance; I'd recognise that look in anyone's eye."

"You're quite sharp for the fool I thought you to be...," Apheia chuckled, regaining her grin as she re-folded her arms. "So what, pray tell _will_ you do if you will not kill him?"

As if to respond to her words, the super-fast Selthris suddenly shot out from common view; an after-image of the glaring young man. Half-Moon's eyes widened and he snapped his head to left but it was far too late; Selthris' knee suddenly sunk smashing into his lower chest. Half-Moon exclaimed lowly in his wide-eyed stare as he was sent stumbling back a few steps from the sheer force of his opponent's attack. Selthris followed up his sudden assault with a sinking fist into the man's grunting face, sending him sprawling across the ground and down into a small muddy ditch.

When he rolled back up-right, Half-Moon yelled out primitively as he smashed his fists upon the muddy ground below him. His short-blonde hair shot up with him as he snapped his head up to find the long and looming shadow of the overlooking Selthris, standing directly on the small hill above him. Half-Moon briefly lost his angry scowl as he viewed the low scowling Selthris, feeling a strange kind of fear.

"I should not take Sevrenna's vengeance away from her...," the young Vikeruce king claimed as he glared down, narrowing his eyes with his words. "But I _can_ beat you half-to-death," he growled out further and this time through gritted teeth as he spoke. Half-Moon's eyes widened and he gasped, as if listening and fully understanding in spite of his primitive behaviour. As if in timing with his next words, a natural bolt of thunder went off in the distance, briefly lighting up the Lord Knight's horribly scowling face. "I'm sure she won't blame me if you aren't _completely_ useless after all this..."

* * *

Unwilling to listen to a second more of his new opponent's words, Half-Moon gave vent to an angry roar before suddenly flattening the muddy ground below him. With an effort-filled smash, the Sohanthian native razed the ground below him with both his Aegir filled palms, effectively somersaulting forward, heading straight for the narrow-eyed noble below him. Though Half-Moon bulleted down at a frightening speed, Selthris still managed to evade his roaring forward right punch; the Aselian king shot his head to his far-right in incredible speed, barely moving the rest of his body.

When Half-Moon landed in a rainy skid, he snapped his head around to snarl hatefully at the boy behind him before suddenly pursuing him behind him with a wide sweeping back-fist. Selthris ducked deftly to avoid the attack once more, his back still facing the killer. Half-Moon's scowl grew even worse when he realised this and he pressed forward to attack once again, pushing forward into the air with a leaping knee strike.

Once again Selthris evaded it but this time in turning 'round to face him; he back-dashed into the air behind him and shot his body to his right, leaning as he grimaced hatefully back at the Sohanthian serial killer. As they both landed in similar drifts, kicking up rain behind and ahead of themselves respectively, Half-Moon turned his head to the night sky and howled like a wolf, his arms open-palmed and resting in the air at his sides. As if finished his preparation for his next attack however, Half-Moon suddenly brought his burly arms down to the ground and smashed them on it similarly roughly.

As if by magic the ground opened up beneath the still recovering Selthris and even _he_ raised his two eyebrows at the sudden movement beneath him. Two pairs of rocky ground beneath him snapped up, as if brought up by an intense weight before mashing together between the boy. Snapping his blonde-haired head up, his eyes widened when he found his quick opponent finally and seemingly outplayed; he regained his grin slowly and began to laugh, triggering his companions' witnessing grins and chuckles.

"Only human." Apheia offered forward as she smirked.

"No!" Kay called out as she near leapt forward; fortunately however the grunting George also shot up to stop her, grasping her by her arms. She grunted in his grip before turning to face him. "Let _go!_ "

"He gave us an _order_ Kay!" The Cavalier shot back, similarly angrily. "I don't like it any more than _you_ do but this is our _duty!_ " He exclaimed at her. Finally listening to him but not without a frustrated grunt, pulling her arms free from his grip. George sighed lightly as he turned over to briefly keep an eye on the unconscious Sevrenna, having left her propped up on the wall's mountain behind them.

When the rocks and earth that the grinning Half-Moon brought up himself vanished into the dissipating dust that they appeared with, his eyes widened and he grunted lowly animal-like and all. His eyes darted around in searching for his enemy but, alas, he was unable to locate the speedy youth. Apheia's own eyes widened as she watched, unfolding her arms to amplify the sides of her mouth.

" _Behind you!_ "

She called so loud the sound of the rumbling thunder in the rain's background was challenged by her volume; Half-Moon snapped his head back to his previously undefended rear to raise up his clawed arms to block the scowling Selthris' shooting strike. His cross-coloured black and white lightning both joined with the wide-eyed and gasping Half-Moon's body as they both made contact; the unnatural electricity travelled along their arms as paths and Half-Moon's eyes watched the small bolts suspiciously, eyes darting between them.

Unfortunately for him however he found his raised arms soon becoming unresponsive. The large man gasped again and yelped as he flailed his body around maniacally in his horror-filled state, his arms soon going limp. His time-wasting managed to allow his opponent yet _more_ time with which to counter-attack; Half-Moon's eyes widened as he finally caught wind of the youth's movements. Selthris bent his head low and sent his crackling fist smashing into the grunting warrior's lower stomach, sending him stumbling back up into the air for a second or two.

Selthris stared directly back into the broadly expanded eyes of his enemy, his own very controlled and tightened. The pair stayed sandwiched together in their respective poses before, finally, the black-eyed king leapt up into the air and spun his body around in a sudden and lightning infused roundhouse kick to the face. Half-Moon merely grunted in pain as he was sent rolling fiercely across the ground, smashing into the wall of a similar mountain behind him. As he did however, rocks and boulders crashed down upon his seeming defeat.

Selthris stood in his hard-eyed glare, recovering from his attack. His still heightened Aegir aura gave no indication of running out and gave off a dull sounding hum to match the crackling electricity that surrounded his form. General Apheia and Alder stare over in similarly wide-eyed expressions, shocked at watching the display being shown before them.

"I _knew_ it!" Kay exclaimed suddenly as she pumped an excited fist. "No problems at all!"

Though George was lightly miffed at her seemingly willing to forget her own overreaction earlier, he opted to turn his light frown into a more sombre and calculating one. He stared over at the back of the thunder-infused lord of Aselia and never opened his mouth, many thoughts running through his head; many similarities.

"What, what is it?" Kay asked, losing her smile this time in favour of a flinching blink. Her younger sibling turned to face her, frowning.

"Haven't you... noticed?"

The similarly blonde Cavalier raised a curious eyebrow. "Noticed _what?_ "

As if to interrupt the poor pair of Cavaliers however, the mountain rubble suddenly erupted into an incredible show of fireworks to match the resounding war cry that rent the air. The on-watchers on both side were forced to raise up their arms to block the wind that the recently revived Half-Moon kicked up, grunting as they did so; his aura of Quintessence also drew up to a sizeable height, towering even his opponent's. Selthris' position was unchanged; he stood in his half-leant scowl, glaring hatefully at his roaring enemy. Finally finished with his cry to the heavens, Half-Moon snapped his bleeding and bruised face downwards to similarly grimace viciously back.

As if travelling through space and time itself however, the strength and speed enhanced Half-Moon leapt forward and disappeared in his shift. Selthris' eyes darted around in swift succession of key points in the air, seemingly following him completely before merely raising his left arm upwards, presumably to block.

 _SMASH_

As Half-Moon re-appeared directly above the young Lord Knight he glowered on down in grit-teeth and all as he mashed his fists with the boy's.

" _DEVOUR!_ "

His animalistic voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the lashing rain still pummelling them fiercely and a sudden bolt of thunder closer to their position lit up the growling face of the Sohanthian serial killer. As their burning auras of Aegir clashed, they behaved like fire; seemingly attempting to overtake the other. Unfortunately for Selthris however, Half-Moon's began to eat through his and, when it did, Half-Moon's eyes widened in his new growing grit-toothed smirk.

"Give it...," the Sohanthian general of name only growled out in his grit-toothed smirk. "To _ME!_ "

As if to go with his mad demand, his aura finally and seemingly overtook his younger opponent's and, with it, an explosion of pure Aegir and effort emanated between the two. The watching group of Aselians and Sohanthians brought up their arms to block their eyes in pure instinct, awaiting the result of the exchange.

Finally, and soon as well, the dust settled and the heaving Half-Moon loomed over the fallen Selthris, his eyes shut in his scowl and laying face down in the mud. Falling to a single knee in seeming effort, his own Aegir shroud soon began to dissipate, a low chuckle stinging in his throat. The watching Apheia let out a relieved sigh, soon regaining her smirk alongside her ever loyal aide. Kay contrastingly widened her eyes and made to leap forward, as if to assist however her younger brother intervened once more.

"Wait!" He called out and she did.

When she stopped she tutted out in light anger but when she noticed the ground suddenly and softly rumbling she blinked. Small rocks on the surface of the plains began to kick upward from the gradual movement beneath them.

"Where is that coming from...?" Apheia murmured out as she snapped her eyes around in searching for another intruder. Alas however none were to be found.

Unwilling to pay attention, Half-Moon continued to laugh as he faced down at the ground, on all fours now as he shut his eyes in his fit of hilarity. Slow and similarly gradual movement however made him gasp and widen them, flinching. He narrowed his eyes forward and found a slender arm raising up from the small crevice he just created. Clearly bewildered, the Sohanthian murderer could only blink in confusion as he edged his head closer to the source.

The scowling Selthris lay in his seeming earlier coffin, his night-black eyes re-opened and his crackling Aegir cloak rejoined to his body. Seemingly even stronger than it was before he was struck, Half-Moon could barely believe the boy's survival much less his current condition. The ground's rumbling began to grow worse and, finally noticing it, Half-Moon blinked down at the ground and around himself as he felt it horribly shake and rumble beneath him. Selthris' right raised hand slowly changed form to pull his forefinger, pinky and third finger back into his palm. He outstretched only his index finger and his thumb, as if readying a projectile of some kind. His eyes narrowed and his voice entered a familiar hateful tone as he re-opened his mouth to speak.

" _Bang._ "

 _CRASH-BOOM-DROOM_

This time the watching crowd of four were nearly blown off their feet; a sudden and huge bolt of thunder plummeted down upon the pair, clearly intended for the wide-eyed Half-Moon. George and Kay both gasped and grunted as they bent their bodies down the way to avoid being blown back, barely holding their position from the natural feat of nature's strength before them. The rain continued to still batter the on-watching crowd as they narrowed their eyes through their fingers to see _any_ kind of result to the desperate combat ahead.

After what felt like actual _minutes,_ the grunting Kay and George were finally awarded with a period to watch the rain strike the heavily clouded battlefield, eyes narrowing forward. As it finally dissipated however, the two Cavaliers were treated to the sight of the wide-eyed and horribly burned Half-Moon. He coughed out, miraculously still alive and breathing but seemingly heavily injured.

"De-" the Sohanthian blonde managed to murmur out in a wide-eyed stammer, soon struggling back the way he previously came a few steps. "-v...ou...r..." He could only dryly cough outward as, seemingly, all energy finally left him and he dropped back face-up. As if woke up by the man's pained state, the small crevice that he once created gave off the sound of a loud crackling noise accompanied with a harsh-sounding fracture. The scowling Selthris soon stood back to his shoeless feet, his only new wound a small trickle of blood at the left side of his mouth. He cricked and cracked his neck audible to both sides of his head before soon climbing out of the wreckage before him, advancing on the fallen form of his opponent. As he did however the watching Apheia and Alder could only both stare in horrified expressions of their face; the picturesque of disbelief and terror.

"As I said before...," Selthris began with a murmur as he stood overlooking the gasping and badly burnt body of his enemy. "I will not _kill_ you," the young swordsman claimed as he briefly turned his head to face the far-off and still unconscious form of Sevrenna, propped up against the mountain away from them. He switched his head back down to face the grunting Half-Moon. "But that doesn't mean I can't _break_ you." The Lord Knight growled on down at him, his eyes narrowing with his grit-toothed words; he gradually lifted up his left burnt arm to point his open palm down at him.

As if in response, his aura of Aegir intensified heavily; a clear indication of a raise in power. Black sparks of the lightning that remained infused to his body snaked down to join the fallen and defenceless form of Half-Moon. Seemingly finally at peace, Half-Moon barely let the world know he even registered Selthris' seeming attempt to raise him.

"What is he doing...?" Kay whispered as she tore her eyes away from the scene to turn her question at the narrow-eyed George.

"We've...," he began as his eyes soon slitted in recognition, slowly nodding. "We've seen this before..." He finished gravely and Kay could only furrow her brow at him in confusion.

"What do you-?" She started back in reply before widening her own eyes in similar recognition.

Images of Sathryon Vikeruce interrogating Naerith prisoners-of-war using his Aegir suddenly flashed in her mind.

"He's-?!" Kay gasped out as she re-turned to face the frowning George. He merely nodded, his face sombre and concerned. "But that's-!" She tried again as she winced, as if unable to find the words.

"Whatever was left of him...," the brightly intuitive and younger Cavalier spoke out with as he leant his frown to the side in his narrow-eyed glare. "Died in that containment with sir Leo."

–

 _ **2**_

As if to respond to the two Aselian youths, Half-Moon's sudden revival to life rent the air with a resounding and blood-curdling high pitched scream. Though the pair listened, they both sweat together as they watched the scene from their lord's back; memories of serving his father returning to them as they did so.

"What are you...?" Apheia mouthed over mid-scream; turning her nose up at the pair ahead of her she leaned her head forward to watch. The firm-eyed scowling Selthris' arm aimed his Aegir visibly at the screeching Half-Moon and, in spite of being badly burned and injured, the Sohanthian serial killer flailed and twitched wildly about in place, eyes widened. Selthris slowly shifted his face around to confront the similarly shocked Halberdier on his right, lowering his left arm; seemingly finished with whatever technique he was using.

"He won't be bothering anyone anymore," the Lord Knight rumbled over, the sound of the thunder now far away from their position. The rain finally began to let up and the group were allowed a final breath of respite. Selthris swivelled his hated-eye glare down on the lying and howling Half-Moon. "Not after what _I've_ done to him."

"And just _what_ did you do?!" Apheia warned over angrily, suddenly and abruptly unsheathing her steel great-lance once more with effect in her sentence; she spun it suddenly to point threateningly at the standing Selthris. He slowly shifted his eyes back to face the blonde woman and narrowed them back at her. He remained like that for a few event-less seconds and the two glared silently at one another, as if speaking a silent language together.

"I've used my Aegir to put him through numerous illusions," the young man explained very briefly in his frowning glare. "If he wasn't _already_ insane...," he began again as he briefly re-eyed the screaming blonde below him. "Then he's goin' there now."

Seemingly unable to find any words with which to respond to him, general Apheia merely grunted as she spun her steel great-lance back the way it came to her side, taking a few steps back. Alder double-took at her side, as if actually shocked she was considering retreat.

"If you're both as strong as _he_ was...," the Lord Knight started once more, taking a single step forward as if to pursue them. Apheia gasped as she flinched, stopping moving entirely to watch him carefully. Alder watched him with a surprised wide-eyed stare, darting his eyes between the pair. "Then _this_ fight is as good as _over._ " The young swordsman warned, his dark eyes glaring hatefully at the pair. His intense aura of Aegir gave off another dull hum just as before, crackling energy of electricity surrounding his body to go with it.

"L-Lord Selthris, _no!_ " George called over suddenly, narrowing his eyes as he leant his head with his desperate-toned words. The Lord Knight, surprised, swivelled his head 'round to raise a silvery eyebrow up at his vassal, curious.

"Little brother's right... um... Lord...," Kay began forward as she visibly winced, seemingly uncomfortable. Selthris' darkened orbs of vision darted over interrogatively to stare back at the blonde Cavalier. "Remember what you used to say?" She tried to smile with her words this time, a nervous laugh attached to them. "Save as many lives as possible!"

The silently scowling Selthris suddenly switched his seemingly hunter-like glare on the pair of uninjured Sohanthians before him, almost as if considering it.

" _Parasites,_ " he finally opened his mouth with. Apheia and even Alder began to flinch as he spoke, his body shaking from growing fear with his commander. He slowly and seemingly deliberately raised up his left open palm to his mid-view before suddenly cracking his forefinger in tandem with his narrowed eyes. The watching Sohanthians similarly balked together as they watched him fearfully. "If I see _any_ of you on the battlefield again...," he continued in his warning as he glared hatefully at the pair. "I'll make you both worse off than _him._ " Selthris finished with as he bore his teeth briefly up at the two, clearly indicating down to the shrieking Half-Moon behind him.

As if taking his words to heart, the listening Apheia raised a curious eyebrow at him before quickly nodding with the similarly silent Alder. They both soon sheathed their weapons and turned to leave, not idling any longer than they had to. Selthris slowly, silently and scathingly after them almost as if disappointed in the result of the battle. When Half-Moon's screams interrupted his thoughts, the Lord Knight growled as he turned and kicked his unmoving head roughly. Half-Moon almost immediately was knocked unconscious and Selthris stared down down at him just as hatefully as he had done before.

"Lord Selthris..."

He turned his silvery head around to face the frowning Cavalier George and wiped at the trickle of blood around the corner of his mouth. He raised his silvery eyebrow up at him to continue.

"We should pick lady Sevrenna up and..." He trailed off as he nodded his head gently in the direction of the unconscious Swordmaster behind him. Selthris' eyes briefly hovered over to her before he nodded in quiet agreement. Seemingly happy with his superior's permission, the ever loyal Cavalier turned, presumably to pick her up.

"Kay," Selthris suddenly called out softly but firmly, gently swivelling his head to face hers. A very small part of her face twitched as she was addressed but she made sure he didn't notice. "Where is Ulric?"

The blonde Cavalier's eyes widened as if in sudden memory and recognition. Growing sombre, the young woman's eyes dropped downward. Selthris' eyes narrowed suspiciously as he awaited her answer.

"Ulric-sensei... h-he..."

Her cracking voice made him slowly but surely come to realise his old comrade's fate. Selthris' own eyes followed hers in kind, a sad frown attached to his face.

"Him too huh..." The Lord Knight murmured out softly as he thought of the pair of Aselian knights he had kept so close. Ulric and Leo's smiling faces entered his quiet thoughts and though he tried to feel as sorrowful as Kay seemed to be, he could not.

A blazing, seething fire of hatred burned in his chest when he thought of their deaths; Nicholas' earlier smirking face entered his mind with it and his scowl twitched.

If he could kill him again, he would have.

"Sel?"

The young Lord Knight hovered his and blinked his eyes back up to face hers, curious.

"Yes?"

"What did they...," she started uncomfortably as she watched him from across the battlefield, her long pony-tailed hair similarly wet and flattened to her head. "W-What did they _do_ to you?"

He stared back at her for a full second before lightly wandering his eyes away in the direction he had first come from; the former general Nicholas' torture room.

"Enough," the Vikeruce heir finally spoke, his voice unusually soft and tender. "They... woke me up."

"W-Woke you up?"

"Yeah," he merely answered her with, a tired frown adorned on his injured and battle-weary expression. "Three years of dreaming is long enough." The Lord Knight explained very briefly in his firm but tired-eye frown. Kay stared back at him and soon avoided his eyesight, nodding in silent agreement as she turned to leave, presumably to join her younger brother.

Selthris, now left to his own devices, turned his body to face the slow, rising sun. As it poked out from the previously thunder-infused clouds, its rays began to finally shine on the wet plains he stood on and the unconscious form of Half-Moon lying next to him. He stared back at the sun and couldn't help but feel saddened, his left eye twitching when he thought of the fallen Leo.

Briefly turning to glare down at the similarly defeated Half-Moon however, his firm scowl re-affirmed his facial expression; he bent down to pick up the defenceless Sohanthian and tossed him over his shoulder as he followed his comrades.

His long walk back to the Allied forces' base camp did little to affect his mood.


	12. Battle at Eprania Field

**Chapter 11: Battle at Eprania Field; Overwhelm and Oppress!**

 _ **Dracolius Second World War Arc – Showdown**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, this is just a Fanfiction.**

 _ **Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST.** Chapter Briefing._

 _ **"Dizzy Maniac" - Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail OST.**_ _Scene_ _ **2**_ _(First Half and Second Half)._

 _ **"Great Red Spirit" - Dynasty Warriors V OST.**_ _Scene_ _ **6**_ _(Second Half)._

 _ **"Desert Suite" - The Terminator II: Judgement Day OST.**_ _Scene_ _ **7**_ _(First Half)._

* * *

 _The Allied forces send a mix of their most passionate and strongest soldiers to rescue their kidnapped comrades, Selthris Vikeruce and Leo Evans. Though the mission to rescue their commander is considered a resounding success, having located him in the depths of Odorion Fort, Selthris' obvious and immediate change has even the nameless units concerned._

 _Unfortunately, alongside their old comrade Ulric, Leo has been pronounced 'killed in action'._

 _In their rescue, Selthris' sole achievements in not only escaping his own confinement but in single-handedly fending off both Sohanthian generals Nicholas Packard and the 'Half-Moon Murderer' have earned him multiple states of recognition, especially of his own kingdom of Aselia. Once thought to have been but a mere shadow in the footsteps of his father; lauded as greatest soldier in the world, have all but left the Allied forces' minds. Having had their morale previously plummeted from his incarceration his_ own _actions have thus shot their confidence high into the air, like an arrow fired from a bow._

 _Etherthien-bound strategist Astrid Ruan and many others can only speculate as to the atrocities and horrors their rescued commander had been put through in order to come out on the other side. Though they grow concerned at their once close comrade's new change in attitude they instead allow him space to be alone as he seems to intend._

 _Her memories hazy and uncertain of the previous night's events, Sevrenna finally reawakens after a resounding nightmare of her own..._

* * *

 _ **Scene 1**_

Her eyes widened, she awoke in a gasping cold sweat. She darted her eyes around her current surroundings, still somewhat disorientated.

A tent?

Her memory very quickly returned to her and she let out another gasp as she brought up a finger and a thumb to rest on the bridge of her nose, as if in quiet relief. Her long ebony hair had seemingly been tore from its earlier pony-tailed design, matted across her back and head and came down in full, long strokes. When she could not hear the morning birds, she turned her re-opened eyes to the exit of her tent and quickly realised it was not morning.

How long had she been asleep?

Sevrenna grunted as she tossed her quilt aside and went looking for her battle gear.

* * *

The Aselian-bound Swordmaster merely put on her usual firm frown as she left her tent, dropping the flap with a light expression across her face. She swept her vision around main camp; it had seemingly changed from last time.

Odorion Fort perhaps?

Or at least directly outside it.

Would make sense, she thought to herself.

Turning on her heel she let her eyes rest on a group of nameless soldiers conversing in a corner as she marched suddenly. Her eyes widened however when she found herself bumping into another form and she blinked as she did so. Turning her eyes forward she found the similarly tall form of the standing and armoured George Garcelle. The light-blonde Cavalier regained his usually social smile as he nodded back at her.

"Good evening lady Sevrenna," he greeted in his nod. "I hope all is well?"

"Um... yeah, I guess," the Swordmaster murmured out as she watched a smaller pair of soldiers wander past them before shooting her eyes back to the Cavalier before her. "How long have I been asleep?"

Her question took the previously smiling George off guard and he could not help but fold his arms as he rolled his eyes upward, presumably in thought. "Quite a while; you've been in there sleeping for at least ten hours," he explained very briefly. She double-took in his direction, shocked. "You weren't... a hundred percent, to say the least." He chuckled in some attempt at humour and friendliness.

"I only remember handfuls... last night, wasn't it?" She asked as she narrowed her own eyes at him.

This time he frowned in his assenting nod. "Yes... we had just gone to-"

"Yeah, how is he?" Sevrenna interrupted him, if a bit softly as she leaned forward. He turned his eyes back down to her, briefly surprised by both her seemingly urgent interruption and the soft tone of her voice.

"You mean... Lord Selthris?"

She nodded, her memories extending at least as far as his rescue of her from her object of vengeance.

"He's... fine," the Cavalier chuckled, if a bit nervously as he rubbed the back of his blonde head. "He requested to be left alone while on watch but he _did_ ask if you were up to go see him."

Sevrenna's brow furrowed in sudden confusion.

'On watch'?

No-one has _ever_ gone on watch in the Allied forces.

"W-Where _is_ he-?"

"Just on the outskirts of the entrance to Odorion Fort," the Cavalier similarly softly interrupted with a polite smile. He moved aside and gently nodded his head back the way he presumably came; down the road with many moving Allied soldiers and between many tents. "If you can spare some time I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

Needing no further motivation, Sevrenna merely nodded back in her firm frown before knocking her back-fist across his armoured chest; seemingly a friendly gesture.

"Thanks."

–

 _ **2**_

When she found him numerous thoughts soon raced in and out of her beating heart. Sevrenna's eyes widened when she realised even her _heart_ itself was racing.

I've spoken to him many times why is _now_ so special?

The Swordmaster put on a tough scowl and shook her head of her irritating thoughts, pressing on past the drawbridge to the fort. There, sitting on the mere plains' ground itself, sat the back positioned Selthris, seemingly enraptured in the far-off plains of Sohantha ahead of him. Seemingly sensing her approach, Selthris' silvery head slowly swivelled to face her, one half of his right eye watching her. She couldn't help but stop moving entirely when he saw her, flinching as she did so however, when he similarly slowly switched his head back to face ahead of him, she raised her eyebrows at him.

"Sevrenna," his unusually hardened voice abruptly shot out with, nearly making her flinch again. "How are you feeling?"

Though it seemed to be asked in genuine concern, as she sometimes believed, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes at him.

Something felt off, she thought.

"Um... I'm... fine," the Swordmaster admitted honestly as she frowned back at his back. "W-What are you doing out here all alone?"

" _Someone_ has to go on watch," he merely replied with in a visible light shrug. "Might as well be me."

When she re-opened her mouth to respond, the words with which she thought of seemed to float in and out of her head before she could successfully pin them down. Her eyes lowered in a strange mix of frustration and concern.

"Do you feel well enough to kill?"

His sudden question made her turn her raised-eyebrow head back up in shock.

What?

"U-Um... I don't... follow..."

"Half-Moon's been taken," he finally answered her, his voice seemingly deeper than she remembered. Sevrenna resisted the urge to gasp, her eyes widening in shock. "He's being held down in the dungeons of Odorion Fort; I've had a couple men watch over him... if you're interested." The Lord Knight explained very briefly.

A million kinds of questions all immediately shot in and out of her head.

How did you do it?

 _When_ did you do it?

Is he even still alive...?

"I made sure not to kill him," the young swordsman explained very briefly, as if reading her mind. She narrowed her eyes back at him as she listened. "But he can be, at your discretion."

"B-But, how-?"

"He's been rendered pretty much useless so he'll offer you no resistance," Selthris re-explained, his voice almost business-like in fashion. "I just wanted to let you know."

Clashing thoughts again all floated in and out of her consciousness and while she wished she could find the words to respond to him, she could not. The narrow-eyed Swordmaster took a single step back as her brow furrowed before soon picking up her speed and she quickly jogged back the way she came.

Her destination; the dungeons of Odorion Fort.

* * *

Even as she rushed down, she attempted to weave in and out of the surprised-faced soldiers she passed, desperate and resolute in looking for the source of her troubles. Her shoes clicked noisily against the hard stone that she ran down upon and, finally, she seemed to come to the cells down below. A myriad of emotions passed through her as she stood at the one-room exit, eyes narrowed at the back end of the room; two soldiers dressed in alliance gear stood dutifully at the one closed cell.

She could hear a man's crazed yelling and mumbling from inside it, echoed lightly across the stone walls.

Narrowing her eyes forward, the young Swordmaster marched forward. Her movement seemed to catch the conversing soldiers and they turned similarly in her direction to watch her.

"Ah! You are with the alliance, no?" He greeted before turning to face her, bowing in respect. "Greetings general Sev-"

"Who have you got in there?" Sevrenna soon and suddenly interrupted him with, edging a thumb in the cell's direction. The soldier merely blinked at her curiously before exchanging a look with his comrade and companion, shrugging together.

"U-Um, miss Sevrenna, this is..."

She never waited for them to finish; the pushy young Swordmaster leapt between them and narrowed her eyes into the cell before soon widening them.

The screaming man was given a name – or the only name she knew him by.

Half-Moon lay in the cell in the centre, screaming as a strange kind of lightning Aegir engulfed his body almost completely. Sevrenna narrowed her eyes down at him, shaking her head.

What was...?

It looked as if he was experiencing some kind of horrible dream of all things.

When he finally noticed her however, Half-Moon's eyes widened. As if fearful somehow, he gasped and suddenly scrambled to crawl away to a corner of his cell, shaking madly. He sat cowering in the corner, shaking like a leaf as he stared back at the gob-smacked Sevrenna.

She had to pinch _herself_ to assure that this was not a dream.

What could _change_ a man so deeply that was _already_ insane?

"Who... did this to him?" The Swordmaster questioned as she lightly turned her head to face the soldier on her right, eyes narrowing once more in suspicion. The soldier winced as he exchanged another shrug with his companion before re-facing her to reply.

"I... believe it was commander Lord Selthris... general Sevrenna."

Her eyebrows lifted in tandem with her shocked eyes and she couldn't help but turn slowly back to watch the cowering Half-Moon one final time, pure bewilderment covering her expression.

She spent the rest of that night wondering what else to do with her life.

–

 _ **3**_

"Garrus? You in here?" Tina called as she pulled apart one side of the tent's flap she previously walked towards. She carried a plain white shirt in her hand, seemingly dotted with marks of sewing. She opted to walk inside and swept her eyes across the simple living space and stood in the centre, holding the shirt close to her chest. _"I guess he's off somewhere."_ The Pegasus Knight thought to herself; movement to her back however soon made her swivel around in surprise.

The similarly jolted Garrus stood in the entrance and exit to his own tent, burly hands gripping the bright white towel across his neck. Shirtless and wet, his long black hair spilled down his back and he couldn't help but chuckle nervously when he saw her before striding in.

"Hello Tina," he greeted as he walked past the blushing Pegasus Knight; she avoided his own eyesight as he passed her. He walked over to his bed, presumably for his gear as he ran the towel across his damp black hair. "What's that you got?" The mount-less Dragon Rider questioned as he nodded towards the shirt in her possession, seemingly unable to see it through his task.

"Oh!" The young woman exclaimed before smiling as she approached him, holding out the white shirt. "I finished it for you."

"Great!" Garrus grinned back as he finished drying his hair and tossed the towel on his bed, reaching out. "No better time than now eh?" He joked out with as he grinned, eliciting a light chuckle from the listening Pegasus Knight. Pulling it over himself he let out a single grunt as he did so.

"How is it?" She asked, raising a curious eyebrow as she watched him. He stretched it out and widened his eyes, losing his earlier grin.

"Wow...," he murmured out before turning up to face her as if surprised. "This is _really_ good!" He complimented as he attempted to stretch it out some more in some comical poses. Tina couldn't help but grin as she watched him. "It's like a new shirt!"

"I'm glad," the Pegasus Knight chuckled. "I hope it'll help."

"I bet even _Sophie'll_ like it!"

"I can only hope so." She responded in her smiling nod.

"I bet you could make clothes for _everyone_ in the whole group!" Garrus' excited voice filled the tent; this time the listening Tina could only blink back at him before she frowned.

"I... I suppose I could but..."

"O-Oh, sorry I didn't mean to put you on the spot," the Dragon Rider nervously chuckled back as he rubbed the back of his head, his eyes shutting very briefly as he spoke. "I'm very sorry if-"

"N-No it's fine," Tina laughed back in a friendly smile, shaking her head with her briefly raised hands, as if to ward the matter off. "Truth be told I only really prefer to sew for those I care about," she admitted in her warm smile. "Three years ago I tried doing the same thing for someone I thought was close to me but..." She trailed off, a new frown re-growing on her lightly saddened expression. Her eyes lowered in presumable thought and the glassy look in them seemed to confirm it.

The Pegasus Knight could not help but think of their recently rescued commander and the scowl on his face when she confronted him the night she thought of.

" _I'm a_ bad _man; I'm not the person you think I am."_

Her eyes narrowed this time at the ground in fast-moving thought.

Events in Naerith's 'Burning War' seemed to have at least _one_ thing in common with the events of this one, she thought to herself briefly.

"Who could refuse someone as warm as _you?_ " Garrus attempted to lighten the atmosphere of the room as he chuckled in his smile, re-folding his arms as he did so. Tina blinked, lightly surprised by his voice. "I suppose everyone has their reasons but I wouldn't waste my time on people like _that_ ; you deserve better." The Dragon Rider smiled good-heartedly. Tina could barely help the slow grin growing on her own face.

If only you knew who I was talking about, she thought only to herself.

"In fact I tell you what; I owe you now!"

His sudden call caused her to blink once again and she tilted her head at him, surprised.

"O-Oh no it's... fine," Tina warded his generous offer away with a nervous wave of her two hands. "As long as you like it; that's all that matters to me."

"Now _that_ just makes me _want_ to repay the favour!" The Dragon Rider shot back in a show of his own humour, grinning in his folded armed expression. Tina couldn't help but turn her eyes away from him in a mix of nervousness and a light smiling blush across her cheeks. "How about... a picnic?"

Surprised by his modest offer her frown soon morphed back into an eager smile and she nodded.

"Y-Yes I think that might be a good idea; as long as it's not-?"

"Not at all," Garrus shot back; it was his turn to wave her concern off as he took his arms out of his folds, still grinning. "I'll make some sweets."

"And I can make the basket and the blanket!"

"Shame we never met before this," Garrus laughed in a friendly fashion, placing a hand on his hip. "We may as well be on the same wavelength."

"I... think so too," Tina chuckled in nodding agreement. "You've been a great friend to me."

"And you to me!" Garrus declared happily as he briefly shut his eyes in his wide smile before soon re-opening them to continue. He laughed in his next words however. "I bet Sophie will start to get jealous!"

"We could say the same about Archibald," Tina shot back; her turn to grin at him, an eyebrow raised. Garrus' laugh barely covered the thin veil of light blushing reserve; he turned his eyes away from hers briefly, as if to recover somehow from it. "But I'm sure they'll both be fine. I better go at any rate; I imagine Astrid will be starting a strategy meeting soon."

"Good thinking," Garrus nodded in a new frown. He soon regained his small smile however as he nodded his head upwards at her about-turning body. "Talk soon?"

Tina let a small grin grow on her own face as she hovered just outside his now open tent; she nodded along in reply to him as she re-opened her mouth before finally leaving.

"You bet."

* * *

"And he said _nothing?_ " Astrid questioned, narrowing a single one of her eyes in half-bewilderment, half-curiosity.

"Normally he likes to fill the air with idle chatter, miss Astrid," George spoke as he frowned back at her in his assenting nod. "But in that battle... he may as _well_ have been mute."

" _I_ talked to him... a little," Kay offered in behind her younger brother, raising a hand lightly in the air as she approached. The ever listening table of key strategists nodded and allowed her to walk toward them to inform them. "He's... not the same person he was two days ago." The Cavalier claimed boldly but with a saddened frown.

"That _is_ troubling," Alaric sighed as he re-turned back to face his front in his chair, arms ever folded. His eyes narrowed as they lowered in light thought. "I must admit it wasn't very difficult to work out what happened when sir Leo wasn't among the rescued last night."

"You think _that's_ what's caused this?" Salnarra replied as she placed her hands on the table before them, tilting her head lightly. "I did notice... similar problems even back during Naerith's war three years ago."

"I wish I could say," Theffania claimed as she frowned, her own hands resting politely in her lap. "I was only really part of Naerith's royal family _after_ it was taken."

"No I think Kay and George are right," Gorlin offered in as he stepped forward from behind his Coremondian elder, rumbling in nodding agreement. "Those two have known him _and_ his father even longer than anyone else have after all."

"This _is_ true," Astrid similarly nodded as she leant back in her chair, eyes narrowed at her magical map. She shot her eyes upward to newly entering and ever firm-frowning Sevrenna. "Sevrenna!"

The Swordmaster narrowed her eyes in the Advisor's direction, nodding upwards in recognition before striding forward to join them. "Yeah?"

"I know you haven't really known him for as long as most people here but...," the young woman began as she re-turned her eyes back up to face the black-haired swords-woman. "Did Selthris ever seem... off to you in yesterday's battle?"

"Oh _god_ yes," the young woman shot back as she frowned back. "And not just how he _was_ but things he said."

"You _heard?_ " Kay questioned, dirty-blonde eyebrow raising up as she about-turned to face her.

"Just a couple before I fell unconscious," Sevrenna shot back in her frowning nod. "He apologised; said it was _his_ fault."

A strange awkward silence descended upon the group as they listened.

"Maybe it _was._ "

Sevrenna's icy blue eyes shot over to glare at the owner of the words that cut into the veritable tension in the air, eager to learn who spoke them.

The frowning Talia stood gripping her Thunder tome next to the wincing Astrid, seemingly as loyal as ever.

" _What?_ " Sevrenna hissed out as she narrowed her eyes in a hateful glare at the Sohanthian strategist, her tone suggesting one of anger.

"Come on you two, not again..." Astrid sighed as she turned her eyes back down to the map below her.

"When in a situation like _theirs,_ it's very easy to assign blame to oneself," Hawke spoke up as always from the back of the tent, eyes shut behind her mask. The group turned, surprised by her interruption, watched her raise her head to face them her arms folded. "Especially if that 'one' is the only survivor." The Sniper spoke, seemingly of experience.

"Wise words," Alaric nodded in sombre, frowning agreement. "The way things have turned out... I wouldn't be _surprised_ if he was feeling like this."

"I remember the first day we met," Hawke continued on as she re-lowered her eyes in presumable thought, lightly tilting her head. "He looked ready to _kill_ me because I wore a mask." She smiled beneath her disguise, earning a similar listening chuckle from the room.

"Yes he was a little _too_ focused on that goal of his three years ago wasn't he," Ariella nodded in grinning agreement from the table. "I wonder if it's anything like that...?"

"The way he's sounding right now I don't know if he's even suitable for command at the moment," Astrid opted to throw in as she frowned seriously, re-raising her head to face the group. "How is he in the sense of-"

"Morning."

As if surprised and embarrassed to have their hands found in a jar they weren't supposed to, the group all swivelled their heads to the entrance and exit only to find the oddly smiling Selthris standing before them.

A silvery stubble hung around his face and his normally bright silvery hair seemed to have darkened somehow.

Other than that however he wore his standard alliance gear, seemingly the same as always.

"What are we all talking about?" The Lord Knight smiled lightly as he strode on inside, eyes hovering over each wide-eyed participant.

"Quite a bit... funnily enough." Astrid responded with a seemingly nervous chuckle as she swept her own eyes in his direction.

He turned to face her as he approached, a seemingly friendly smile drawn across his unusually rough countenance. George and Kay exchanged similarly worried expressions; though Kay watched at her younger brother with a telling look, George merely shook his head as if to dissuade her.

"We were... actually talking about you," the Advisor finally admitted, this time with a serious frown as she re-turned her eyes to face him. Selthris' own eyebrow raised up in seeming curiosity as he listened to her. "With yesterday's battle..." She trailed off; he turned briefly to stare in his frown at the wincing Kay and similarly frowning George. His eyes caught the hard-narrow eyed glare of Sevrenna before soon hovering back to the army's strategist.

"What about it?"

"Are you certain you're feeling all right?" Astrid asked in a concerned tone of voice, raising her eyebrow back up at him. "We've received conflicting reports about yesterday's battle."

"Have we...?" The Lord Knight murmured out this time as he briefly re-turned to face his two vassals behind him. Though George merely nodded in his hard frown, Kay averted his eyesight entirely. "I'm feeling fine." He finished in response however as he re-faced her with a soft smile on his face. An uncertain silence descended upon the listening group as they watched him, as if unconvinced by his words.

"Are you _sure?_ " She pressed him further as she creased her face lightly at him, as if to show her concern. "Now that we've lost Leo _and_ Ulric I can't imagine how you must be feeling."

His soft smile seemingly faltered for naught but a few seconds; his silvery eyes lowered in presumable thought before soon re-rising to face her with a new smile on his countenance.

"I'm fine," the Lord Knight claimed again, a similar tone of voice to his previous. "I promise." He ended this time however with a low chuckle, as if to put the listeners' minds at ease.

"We _could_ offer him a small leave of absence, just from the next few battles," Salnarra spoke up from the table, arms folded in her frown. The group turned to face her. "Surely the effects of last night's battle must be very traumatic."

"No, I promise I'm-"

"I hope...," Talia suddenly interrupted the youth, seemingly unintentionally. The group all turned briefly to face her and listened. "I'm not being _too_ forward when I say I agree with lady Salnarra's suggestion... Lord Selthris." The formerly Sohanthian strategist claimed in her low and timid voice. Selthris stared back at her in a slow blinking frown, seemingly looking for the words to respond to her.

"I'm _fine,_ I promise you all," the Lord Knight finally added in his re-growing smile. Though he swept his eyes around to look for confirmation from his comrades they all seemed to either exchange unsure looks of their own or merely stare back at him, seemingly unconvinced. "I've not felt better in years."

"Well... we _could_ do with his new-found strength... strategist Astrid," Alaric finally spoke up for his comrade, a light smile on his own expression. "I imagine in this next battle... we would win it all the easier with him at the helm of the attack force."

"Even the men of _my_ country are beginning to idolise him; it must be said," Theffania nodded in a light smiling agreement of her own. "Their morale has sky-rocketed since he has returned to us."

"The same can be said of most of our men," George nodded in agreement with the Naerith queen, frowning in as he walked forward. "But especially of Aselia," the Cavalier claimed boldly as he briefly turned his eyes to face the similarly frowning Selthris. "I've not seen them anywhere _near_ this confident since Lord Sathryon was still alive."

"It can only be a _good_ thing, right?" Selthris responded with another smile and in a lower, softer tone of voice. The listening George stared back at him for a second or two and his usual business-like frown adorned on his face.

He was not convinced.

"All right, well if everyone's agreed then we'll proceed with our strategy," Astrid finally cut in with, frowning as she swept her eyes across. Receiving light murmurs of assenting and nods from the more silent members of the room she acknowledged their responses and turned back down ever faithfully to her magical map. "Okay... then let's begin."

–

 _ **4**_

"And he _escaped?_ "

"Yes your grace," general Apheia informed in her bowed and knelt position, nodding as she did so. "General Nicholas is said to have perished during the interrogation."

"That _idiot,_ " Empress Sohantha sighed as she rolled her eyes upon the long and luxurious sofa she rested upon. "I always knew his depraved hobby would eventually result in a grave mistake _someday._ " The blonde woman murmured out as she popped another grape into her mouth.

"Indeed," Apheia nodded in her knelt-headed agreement. "It would seem that the last remaining of son of Sathryon is strong indeed."

Jenice Sohantha let out a low husky chuckle as if in reply, a small grin growing upon her porcelain features. Apheia raised a curious eyebrow but dared not raise her head to face her empress and commander-in-chief.

"How _is_ the battlefield looking then?"

Her sudden question nearly took the Halberdier off guard. She shot her head up this time to face her and nodded as she re-opened her mouth.

"U-Um... not well your excellency," she replied with a frown. "The Allied forces have taken Odorion Fort and Half-Moon prisoner."

"Hmph; an animal," the empress muttered as she turned her eyes away lazily, as if thinking of the primitive warrior. "He will not be missed."

Apheia merely stared back at her superior wordlessly, a small bead of sweat dropping from her forehead.

The Sohanthian creed; success or failure, life or death.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she often worried about that herself.

"Did Nicholas reveal anything to Sathryon's son during his imprisonment?"

Again Apheia's eyebrows raised up in light surprise. "U-Um I don't... think so..."

"You don't _think_ so or you don't _know?_ " Jenice shot back impatiently, her eyes narrowing down on the kneeling Halberdier. "Which is it?"

"I'm not... certain your grace." She finally responded with as she re-lowered her head in a light gulp, her bead of sweat dropping to the ground.

Here it comes.

"Hmph," Jenice murmured under her breath as she grabbed another small grape, eyes narrowing at it. "I would hope that they didn't realise _how_ we caught him after all."

"I'm fairly certain that they're still unaware your grace," Apheia claimed as she boldly re-raised her head to face her superior. "They seem to have made no open moves against it."

The empress merely tilted her head briefly to her right side in half-wonder. "Hardly means they're not _aware_ but...," she murmured on before regaining a small grin. "It will do for now." She finished in her satisfied expression.

"What are your orders for the next battle, your grace?" Apheia asked carefully, still in her respectful and knelt position.

"You are to march as many men as you can spare to Eprania and bolster its defences," she ordered quickly, as if reading from some kind of script. "I imagine _that's_ where the Allied forces will strike next."

Sure enough, the strategists were discussing Eprania; the name rang a reflective bell within the listening general Apheia and she nodded her head in assenting. However, her eyes widened when she soon realised earlier memories yet of its stationed men and forces.

Their morale was at an all time low due to the low number of soldiers they had to draw on from.

If the Allied forces attack _now_...

"Y-Your excellency if they-"

"Yes, that strategist they have is surely a cunning one," Jenice interrupted softly but pleasantly and with a light grin upon her face as she spoke. Apheia's eyes widened in light surprise but narrowed as she listened. "But... _eventually..._ their morale will soon fall with the rest of their forces," the empress confidently stated as she reached forward for yet another grape, chuckling lowly as she did so. Apheia merely stared back wordlessly, as if unable to respond. "I _promise_ you, general Apheia."

* * *

"General Faolan, sir!"

The sighing Sage swivelled his scowling head 'round to face the nameless soldier in his unit calling to him.

" _Yes?_ "

"The Allied forces; they're... they're on their way here!" The soldier exclaimed above a gasping heave, seemingly out of breath from chasing his superior through the halls of castle Eprania. His voice rung out across the darkened stone corridors and Faolan's eyes narrowed back at him, as if lightly surprised. He turned his body around fully to face the soldier, advancing on him forward.

"They've already broken through _Odorion Fort?_ "

"Y-Yes sir!" The amber helmeted man gasped back in his assenting nod. The brown haired Sage's eyes widened in shock.

"I had thought they were _strong_ but... then...," Faolan murmured out as he took a dramatic step back, free left hand raising up to rest on his forehead in a wide-eyed stare at the ground. "What of big brother Nick...?!" The Sage gasped out theatrically in his wide-eyed open-mouthed frown.

"I am told... that he died on the field of battle sir." The nameless soldier responded in a lower, sadder tone of voice.

"How...?!" The Sage gasped out again as he snapped his twitching-eyed glare up at the flinching soldier of Sohantha. "Big brother Nick would _never-,_ "

"I-It was reportedly one of the key commanders... sir!" The soldier managed out in a panicked wince as he took a step back from his superior, as if fearing some kind of wrath. Faolan's eyes widened once more but this time in quiet surprise.

"Key commanders...?" He mouthed out as his brow furrowed forward.

"Y-Yes sir," the soldier nodded in his sweating frown. "Sohanthian survivors identified him as the deceased Sathryon's only remaining son my lord."

"S-Sathryon?!" The Sage gasped out as he pulled his head back in seeming shock. "Not that _runt_ of a boy from Aselia?!"

The soldier merely nodded wordlessly this time in a visible cringe, as if fearing another response from his superior.

"Hmph!" Faolan grunted out in narrow-eyed anger, suddenly swivelling his body around to glare forward down the darkened corridor. "Then I shall repay him in _kind..._ "

–

 _ **5**_

He narrowed his silvery, suspicious eyes as he scanned them across the green-field landscape, seemingly almost glaring.

"Your intelligence was correct... Astrid," Selthris finally opened his mouth with. "We can _easily_ deal with _these_ numbers."

"Don't _ever_ underestimate our intel!" The young woman in question grinned down from his side, briefly grinning up at him from her knelt position on the ground with her trusty map. He turned his own glance down on her very briefly himself to lightly smile before re-turning back to glare forward.

His right hand itched for the sheathed sword at his hip.

A few steps from his position stood Sevrenna and show her displeasure she did; with a narrow-eyed glare of her own she stared over at him, barely veiling her expression at all. When his eye caught her staring he turned briefly to stare back at her wordlessly and silently for a few seconds amidst the chatter of the nameless soldiers behind them. The pair of swordsmen almost seemed to understand one another's moods as they silently stared at one other.

Finally however, their mute interaction was interrupted by the appearance of the ever frowning Edgar, hefting a large steel axe across his shoulders. He briefly glanced between the pair of Aselians and raised a curious chestnut eyebrow upwards as he did so.

"You two angry at each other or something?" The keen Axe Fighter asked as he turned to his commander-in-chief. Curious from her own knelt position, Astrid glanced upward as she listened to them speak. Selthris, surprised, blinked his own eyes as he turned them to face his old companion. Finally recognising his words however he merely shook his head and affixed a seemingly comfortable smile across his face.

"No, we're fine, I promise." The Lord Knight claimed in a seemingly humoured chuckle as he shook off the matter. Though Astrid glanced between them, Edgar was seemingly convinced; he merely shrugged and nodded as he strode further forward to join him.

Sevrenna's scowl grew even darker _(if that were possible)_ and her eyes narrowed suspiciously and provokingly at the smiling Lord Knight. Selthris issued her one last light frown before re-turning to face the front once more.

"All we need then really... is to charge the enemy," he began as he frowned forward, his silvery eyes unmoving from the frontlines. They briefly turned to his side, his head unmoving as he waited for his comrade's response.

Astrid put on a light smile as she nodded. "Yep!" She answered brightly. "So long as you lead our forces this should work out well!"

"All right then...," Selthris murmured lowly as his head lowered very lightly. His eyes narrowed even further as he ventured his right arm down to pull the Hakai from its sheath; it gave off a loud swing as it was extracted from its resting place and as Selthris stepped forward to glare forward at his new enemy, Sevrenna and Edgar joined him at his sides. "All units, _attack!_ "

The allied forces behind them all gave vent to a sky-rending war cry, echoing across the battlefield.

* * *

As he shot across the battlefield, quick as an arrow fired from a bow, Selthris' low stance was barely even _seen_ let alone countered; the poor Sohanthian soldiers in sight attempted to raise up their iron lances in order to block the inevitable attack. The super-fast Lord Knight bulleted across the battlefield, his lightning affinity of Aegir trailing along after him in his wake.

 _BZT_

The air soon was rent with pained cries of badly burnt soldiers, their armour and skin soon blackening once it came into contact with their agile enemy. As if in a specific formation however, Selthris' low lightning form broke through the soldier's _own_ formations, the once lush green field below him burnt to cinders in a visible zig-zag pattern. As Selthris finally stopped moving, his form was visible once more; the youth's scowl followed him just as quickly and as he stood up straight from his earlier attack, he twirled the Hakai once around his wrist. As if reacting to his movement, the four Sohanthian soldiers all gave vent to a single gasp of gurgling blood before soon falling to the floor, seemingly deceased.

Sevrenna watched him from the main force unit and her eyes narrowed suspiciously over at him. He felt her gaze on his body and, turning 'round, he faced her own long and fixed stare with one of his own. The pair frowned at one another for what felt like ages and yet, only seconds passed; interrupting their foreplay however was the rumbling ground itself. Widening her eyes in response Sevrenna soon shot her body to the side in a deft side-flip. Skidding safely across the grassy ground beneath her, she soon ended up kneeling next to the hard-frowning Selthris. When her eyes darted up to trace his new gaze she found the source of the attack from earlier.

Not far from the castle stood a wide-eyed man dressed in peculiar mage-like robes. In classic amber Sohanthian colours however, he held a brown spine book in his possession; seemingly the source of the earlier attack. Though he looked more important than the rest of the army around him his average height and appearance otherwise didn't seem to impress them. As they stared over wordlessly at him the pair of swordsmen soon exchanged nods, seemingly forgoing their earlier distrust of one another.

With their speechless agreement set in stone the pair of Aselians turned to face their new opponent and walked off together. Side by side they simultaneously whiffed a horizontal slash with their swords, both staring hungrily and seemingly almost angrily at their wide-eyed enemy. The robe wearing Sage narrowed his brown eyes at the approaching pair before gasping when he caught them both suddenly disappear in similar shows of after-images. His eyes darted around in sudden search for the missing pair before he soon drew in breath sharply in surprise once more; taking a step back he shot his free left arm horizontally across the air.

A visible wall of magical energy blocked the newly re-appeared growling and scowling Sevrenna, hovering above him. Her steel sword clashed noisily against the magical wall and, as it did, she immediately took off again leaving another after-image behind her. The Sohanthian Sage similarly growled as he turned his magical wall to block his undefended rear; the similarly scowling Selthris shot his sword sideways across the shield, drawing out a long and agonising screech. The Sohanthian Sage couldn't help but wince in response to the horrendous noise however he was not given long to do it with; Sevrenna came plummeting down upon his undefended crown, fire Aegir coating her blade.

The Sage's eyes widened once more and, instead of turning to face her, the short-haired enchanter merely shot his limbs far apart and gave vent to an air-rending shout. Widening their own eyes the pair of Aselians were forced skidding and back-flipping in their recoveries.

"You!" The Sage finally exclaimed with as he stared forward at the retreating Selthris, his scowl following him in his recovery. "You're the one that killed big brother _Nick!_ " He called out angrily, his words resounding off the walls of the war cries the Allied Forces and the Sohanthian Forces. As Selthris finally slowed he seemed to regain full use of his body once more and, just as before, he shot his body to the side immediately disappearing and leaving behind an after-image. "I will make you...," the Sage began angrily as he turned his body to his right, almost as if tracing the young man's movement. " _PAY!_ " He finally exclaimed out suddenly as he bent his body to his lower right, his left palm shot forward to extend another visible spike of magical energy.

 _SQUELCH_

This time however, it caught something.

Sevrenna's eyes widened when she finally recovered and bore witness to the events. The wide-eyed Selthris remained motionless in the air, seemingly stopped entirely, the magical spike pierced through his lower stomach. When the watching Sohanthian Sage's eyes also widened, his hard scowl soon morphed slowly into a gobsmacked frown.

"I... I did it...?" The man could only gasp out as he stared skyward, unable to believe the events before him. "Big brother Nick; I _did_ it!" He finally exclaimed in a slow-changing, open-mouthed grin. "I, general Faolan of the Sohanthian regulars, have felled the son of Sathryon Vikeruce!" He called out victoriously in his open-mouthed laughing grin. The cries of battle around them seemed to die down to a screeching halt as the soldiers of both sides all turned to view the important events before them. Faolan allowed his visible and obvious euphoria to continue right up until the moment when his eyes double-took at the young man's wound above him.

There's no blood, he thought.

But then-?

 _DROOM_

"Denjin, et..."

As the impaled young man on his corporeal and magical spike soon vanished to yet _another_ after-image, terror engulfed the listening Faolan's body. He gulped down a hefty load of saliva and turned his eyes skyward to the new voice's source; to go along with the noisy sound of thunder levitated the scowling re-appeared Selthris Vikeruce, his body pulsating noisily with lightning Aegir.

Finally however, as if reacting to his charging, the black clouds surrounded his levitating form and almost seemed to transfer strength to him. Widening his silvery-blue eyes up in the sky, Selthris' mouth finally re-opened and, as Faolan watched him, he grew desperate and shot his left palm up to block the obvious and incoming assault.

" _MESSATSU!_ "

 _CRASH-BOOM-DROOM_

The watching Sevrenna had to hold her position with Aegir just to stop herself from being sent flying from the sheer force of Selthris' attack. She shot both her arms up and her long black hair billowed behind her in the intense storm created before her. Numerous Sohanthian and even Allied soldiers were sent careering through the sky, letting loose terrified screams of horror. The explosion Selthris had created walled off any intruders entirely and, when the initial attack finally faded, Sevrenna's eyes widened at the dust reveal.

A large scale circle of burnt ground, revealed into brown earth was soon shown off to the watching crowd. When the dust finally settled, the gasping and coughing Faolan stumbled out of it, his once bright amber robes tattered and ruined. Not carrying his faithful tome with him, his left arm gripped his seemingly unresponsive right, gritting his blood covered mouth in visible burnt-black pain. He continued to stumble backwards, as if unsure in his destination before his eyes widened in a shocked gasp as a form walked cleanly from the destroyed rubble.

The scowling form of Selthris stood in perfect posture, lightly whiffing a diagonal slash with the Hakai at his side. He stared on after the slow-retreating form of his enemy, his silver-haired head held low in his hard glower. Faolan's legs could support their owner's weight no more and the poor Sage gasped as he fell to his rear, eyes widened upward. He grunted as he attempted to use his only remaining arm left to push and crawl himself to safety.

"A-All u-units!" The Sage called out suddenly, his words echoing across the eerily silent fields of Eprania. "R-Retreat!" Faolan hollered once more. His eyes widened even further however as his enemy's shadow soon loomed threateningly over him. " _RETREAT!_ " He howled out in visible growing terror, unable to stop his incoming opponent.

 _BZT_

The Hakai at his right wrist suddenly came to life in a bright electric zap of energy, Aegir coursing through it. Selthris raised it up and, as his scowl worsened, he twirled the blade around to stab the blade downward into the poor man's chest.

"Ah...!" Faolan gasped out in his gaping, open-mouthed and bloody frown, reaching out his left arm upwards to the sky above him. Like the rest of his body, it shook wildly from the lightning Aegir that now coursed through his veins. Tears soon stained the sides of his eyes as he could only put on a sad smile to his countenance, uttering only a singe sentence.

"B-Big... brother..."

The Allied Forces, in watching their commander's victory, immediately let loose an air-rending war cry, their morale hitting the heavens themselves.

–

 _ **7**_

"Well done!" Astrid greeted the hard-frowning Selthris with her ever enthusiastic smile, gripping a tome under her joined arms at her robed chest. "I don't know how you do it... but I don't blame the Sohanthians for being scared of you." She couldn't help but chuckle over at him humorously. The Lord Knight turned his new soft and quizzical frown up to face his strategist's and he smiled back, nodding.

"Just enacting _your_ plan Astrid," he claimed in his nod. "If anyone deserves thanks... it's you." He added in his grateful smile, nodding to her once more. His eyes quickly caught the seemingly suspicious-eyed Talia at her side, watching him carefully.

He did nothing to notice her stare openly.

"That's nice of you to say but it was a collected effort," the Advisor smiled back at him as she nodded at him politely. "We'll see you inside, yeah?" She asked; he nodded a third time in response.

"Of course."

With that, the pair of strategists left him; the Lord Knight very briefly stared back at the watching Talia as she trailed along behind her leader.

Strange, he thought to himself.

"Yo, fearless leader."

Blinking in light surprise he turned to face the owner of the voice calling him and frowned back at the similarly-faced Edgar, steel axe hanging off his shoulder and his body tilted to the side at him. Selthris' obligated smile returned to his features and he nodded once more in response.

"Ed," he greeted. "What's up?"

"The sky," the Axe Fighter sarcastically replied with before putting on a rare low grin at him. "Seriously; that was impressive."

"I'm not sure about _that_ but..."

"Well, just stay humble," the young villager shot back as he strode forward before stopping just short of leaving him. The young man knocked his free left fist against the noble's chest softly; a brotherly gesture between two friends. "We'd hate to see your head get big." He claimed over his shoulder in a light smile.

Selthris' own smile faltered in response but only for a second; he merely nodded back at his close companion wordlessly. Seemingly satisfied, Edgar continued on after the rest of the Allied Forces, leaving the newly frowning Selthris to stare after him. Turning his silvery eyes down on the fallen corpse of Faolan beneath him, his frown soon contorted into an angry scowl and he spat down at the man's body. The young man's saliva landed on the burnt Sage's right cheek, dripping down gradually to the green-field beneath him.

"Hey."

Called once again, the Lord Knight blinked and about-turned to face the similarly firm-frowning Sevrenna behind him. Putting on his sociable smile, he greeted her with it and her low frown soon morphed into an angry scowl.

"Stop that." She snapped out at him and his smile faltered.

"Stop what?"

"That fucking _smile,_ " she reasoned with suddenly, narrowing her eyes over at him. He raised a curious silvery eyebrow at her. "It's just creepy."

His eyes narrowed back at her in similar indignation.

Did she know?

Hard to tell, he thought.

"What did you want?" The Lord Knight finally broke through the silence with a firm frown of his own, eager to end the conversation.

"To talk," the Swordmaster batted back towards him, the wind lightly breezing her ebony hair. Selthris' eyebrow rose once more in curiosity. "About all this."

"'All this'?"

"You _know_ what I'm talking about," she accused impatiently, her eyes narrowing to similar slits as she stared directly at him. "About Leo and...," she began again, her eyes lowering briefly, as if hesitating. Soon however they re-focused and faced him as proudly as they had done before. "About Half-Moon."

"We don't have time for-"

"Then _make_ time," Sevrenna demanded firmly, eyes glaring at him suspiciously. His own scowl soon returned to his features as he listened to her, very slow and controlled. "I'm not giving up," she claimed boldly. "Not until I get an answer."

"An answer about _what?_ "

"About _this_ shit," the Swordmaster crudely shot back as she used her free left hand to regard at him obviously. "You're not the same."

"Of course I am."

"That's _bullshit_ and you know it."

Her sudden response, full of fire and impatience, took him off guard for a second. He stared back at her, his brow furrowing lightly. As she glared at him hotly, awaiting his next answer, he finally opened his mouth to retort.

"What does it even _matter_ to you?" The Lord Knight shot back at her, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously. "You're very insistent for a woman from a victorious battle."

"Mr. high and fucking mighty," she retorted lowly, almost under her breath as she advanced on him. The pair stared at one another, similar in height and glared as they came within kissing distance. "What you did to Half-Moon... it wasn't right."

"And was it right what he did to your family?"

Her eyes widened, seemingly and finally taken by surprise. A small corner of Selthris' scowl switched to a confident smirk.

"How did you-?"

"I didn't," he admitted. "I know from personal experience and I figured you hated him for one reason or another," he claimed before regaining his firm frown on his face. "Half-Moon's a _fucking_ animal," he cursed, similarly crudely at her as he scowled. "He deserves worse."

" _No-one_ deserves to be put through _that!_ " She suddenly exclaimed at him, pulling her face closer to his. He stared back angrily at her. "Yes, I despise him and yes, I've wanted to kill him for years but I'm not a mother-fucking _sadist!_ " She called loudly, her voice echoing across the plains in which they stood in. Selthris merely stared back at her, his eyes lightly narrowing. "Is that what you are now?" She mouthed down at him, contrastingly quietly. "A sadist?"

"I'm what I _need_ to be," he whispered back at her in a similar tone of voice. "I wouldn't have been able to beat him yesterday if it wasn't for this," he reasoned with quietly as his silvery eyes slowly hovered down to glare at the fallen Faolan's corpse. "Enemies like _him_...," the Lord Knight began again as he scowled down hatefully at the deceased Sohanthian. "Have to be _erased._ "

"Well, what's it all _for_ then?!" Sevrenna suddenly shrieked angrily at him, her arms shooting out to her sides in an obvious show of her growing frustration with him. Taken by surprise once more, Selthris' eyes widened and darted back to face hers and he took a step backward, suddenly on the defensive. "Anyone that's _anyone_ knows _something's_ off!" The Swordmaster yelled angrily at him. His right eye narrowed as he listened, standing his ground. "I don't know who the _fuck_ you are anymore!" She called out vulgarly and hotly, her face growing red to match her anger.

"Don't you remember...?" He mouthed back at her accusingly, glaring similarly. "It was _you_ that told me to get stronger."

She stood staring wordlessly at him for a second or two, her brow furrowed and her eyes widened. "Don't you _dare_ turn this on _me..._ "

"The Allied Forces need a soldier stronger than Sathryon," the Lord Knight finally reasoned with as he turned his silvery-eyed glare away from hers, visibly avoiding her own eyes. " _That's_ what it's for."

Silence.

Selthris dared not turn his eyes back to meet hers but he could feel the growing tension in the air between them. It grew so roughly betwixt them that he winced but only very lightly when the silence itself became deafening.

 _SLAP_

Surprised, Selthris gripped his left stunned and reddened cheek before finally re-turning his silvery eyes to face Sevrenna's. The night-haired Swordmaster glared back at him, tears visibly but barely staining her eyes.

"Why did you have to _change?_ " She scratched in her throat as she stared back at him, her eyes and her facial features very subtly twitching with her similarly hesitating manners. Her right arm, having delivered its earlier slap, lay in the air horizontally. Finally however, the young woman returned to life and brought her arm down back to her side. She pushed past the gasping Selthris, marching toward Castle Eprania after her comrades.

Selthris stood, staring wordlessly after her, his mouth hung open and his brow lightly furrowed in deep thought. He ran his right coarse fingers across the stinging sensation of his left cheek, still shocked.

" _What is she_ talking _about?"_


End file.
